Bound By Light: The Sleeping Worlds
by TruthOutrunsTheFiction
Summary: The adventures of Rachel & Bryan continue as they defend the sleeping worlds. What will they learn? Where will they go? Who will they meet? And are they truly alone in the world of sleep? Hearts will be tested & battles will be fought in Act II of Bound By Light! Act 2 of 3 Please Review!
1. Into The Dive

_ Nothing happened. _

_Everything happened. _

_It was pitch black. There was blinding light. Up was down. Left was right. All was spinning. All was still. Dreaming and experiencing. Guided through a rugged wilderness and lost on a well-worn path._

_Ahead was a tunnel of colors. Beautiful moving colors. They were moving. They weren't running. Gliding? Flying? Falling? It felt exciting, frightening, exhilarating and calming all at once. _

_Another heart was nearby. They were comforted. They knew who it was. The spell was working. This must be the path they were told about. They followed it without question. It felt right. The falling through the tunnel of colors felt long and short in the same instance. Something caught their attention. The destination was fast approaching. They could feel it. But they could also hear it. Sweet melodies echoed magically as they closed the distance. The music was incredible, intoxicating even. They reached for it and followed it to the magical world of Fantasia. _


	2. The Ice Fields

Bryan jolted and opened his eyes as though someone had just startled him out of a deep sleep. He tensed, ready to call his Keyblade. But there was no need. He was just startled. Bryan looked around. He'd been left in a fascinating world. It was a vast landscape of ice and glaciers. Surprisingly all the ice did not make the air that cold. Chilly, yes but not freezing like he'd've expected. Good thing he didn't mind cooler temperatures. Rachel, on the other hand he'd probably hear complain the entire trip. He knew how she hated the cold. Bryan was about to comment his thoughts to her when he realized he was alone.

"Rachel?" Bryan looked around. She was nowhere to be seen. Maybe the dive dropped her somewhere else. He called her name but received no answer. Was she hurt or even awake? Best get a better vantage point to look around. Out of habit Bryan leapt high, planning on soaring high above the ice to get a birds-eye view of the landscape and maybe spot his sister. However, that wasn't the way it happened.

He soared upward alright, but after going up about six feet the magic stopped. It was like flying into an invisible rubber band, the more momentum he put into something that wasn't going to give for long, the stronger the opposing force was. So Bryan got snapped back down to the ice where he lost his footing and started to slip. The ice may not have been as cold as it should but it was still slick. Like going down a slide at a child's park Bryan slipped his way down the ice slope, understandably more than a little freaked out by the sudden wild and uncontrollable ride. If he'd waited only a few more seconds to call forth his Keyblade he'd have gained too much momentum to have stopped before he slid right over the edge of the ice flow and into the ocean below. What the heck? He couldn't fly? And his Keyblade…

He'd thrust it into a rift in the ice where it caught and held him in place. But the blade was not as he left it. It had reverted back to his half of No Shortcuts. He shouldn't have been so surprised. Master Yen Sid did say things might be different. And in deed they were. Only as he managed to gain his footing and stand up did Bryan realize his clothes were different. Instead of his short sleeved jacket he had a sleeveless vest with a T-shirt under it. He had regular shoes instead of his calf-high boots. His pants, instead of being tucked inside his boots went down to his shoes. And there were leather straps that held the ends of his pants around his calves and ankles. The left leg was bound tighter than the right. And what was with the red bandana tied around his right thigh?

He climbed to a place where he could get even footing before he tried flying again. He could still fly, just not as high as before. Any altitude gained after about six feet in the air was soon lost and he drifted back down again. Anything below that point was fair game. Weird. Bryan looked around for the highest point he could find. Looks like he'd be walking to a vantage point to look for his sister.

But before he even took two steps Bryan started really hearing the music. He stopped to listen. It was the most incredible thing he'd ever heard. It touched every part of him. It thrummed at his very heart. Without words it made its own song. He tried to pick out every instrument he knew. It sounded like a violin or a trumpet…then again, it didn't. How could a plain piece of wood or hunk of brass ever create such an intoxicating sound? Bryan closed his eyes. His head dropped back and his shoulders went slack. It was everywhere. It was everything. Part of the melody sounded familiar but he didn't know why. Perhaps part of the song of the world sounded like the rhythm he heard in his head all his life. Not even thinking about it or realizing it was happening Bryan started tapping along with the music. There weren't a lot of drums in this worlds songs but he still tapped along. He had always been able to keep time with any melody he ever heard.

Suddenly Bryan was jolted out of the musical trance, unaware until he had been startled that he had even zoned as deeply as he had. Good thing Dream Eaters made a sound to signal their arrival the same way Heartless did, otherwise Bryan wouldn't have known of their presence until they attacked. A group of seahorse and piranha-like Nightmares were coming up from the water. Strange how they were clearly aquatic themed but made their way through the air no differently than if they were in the water. Then again, this was a dream. No rule existed that said every faction of a dream had to make sense.

Fighting the Nightmares was no different than fighting Heartless. Each would prove to have its own strengths, weaknesses, favored ways of fighting that could be exploited to avoid damage or to bring them down. As he trekked across the Ice Fields Nightmares followed him. Bryan couldn't help but notice they were all animal-themed in some way so far. Fin Fatales liked to leap out of the water whenever he got too close. Escarglows glided across the ice with surprising speed. Icequin Aces were a pain in the butt to catch with their constant sliding around. They used ice magic so they were well at home in this world.

But the worst of them all was the Frozluga. It looked like a big dolphin or a small whale. It was dark gray with a pale gray underbelly and had a long crimson plume from its forehead held in place by a jewel. The Nightmare also had a jeweled collar around its neck and around its tail. It had no dorsal fin but its pectoral fins were shielded by bladed armor. They liked to charge, coming at him with those fins like the Grim Reaper with his scythe.

Fighting without Rachel by his side took some getting used to. He couldn't remember a time where he had fought anything of significant strength where she wasn't at least around. After she'd been injured at Treasure Planet and he had to finish off the Entwiner by himself, she was still there to assist however she could. That and he didn't have any Keyblades with special abilities. Not that he wasn't grateful to at least _have_ his half of No Shortcuts.

Interesting also were the crystal shards fallen Nightmares dropped. Not that different from Heartless really that left behind fragments of their essence sometimes. A lot of them were brightly colored and all were about the same size. He didn't know why but he picked up the ones he found and put them in his side pouch, which, thankfully still had the magic of expanded space. Maybe they'd come in handy later. If not, Rachel would certainly like their sparkle.

Bryan discovered he could even fly over water. But like on land, there were height limitations. And he wasn't exactly comfortable flying over the water for too long or too far out from the ice. For all he knew the water was colder than the ice. Even if this place was just a dream, so much felt so real. True, he didn't mind cooler temperatures…but he did have issues with plunging into the icy depths if the magic of flight had a limited range. He'd rather find out that it did if he were over a tropical ocean or something.

Suddenly a huge pod of Frozlugas and Fin Fatales appeared over the water, blocking his way back to the ice patch where he began. The nasty fish flailed around, snapping their jaws. The Frozlugas poised for the charge. Terrific. There was no way he would be able to take on that many at once. Too many blades and teeth. RETREAT! There's a difference between cowardice and wisdom.

Bryan flew fast above the icy waves to outrun the Nightmares. The Fin Fatales gave up first and fell back but those scythe-whales and their ice magic could not be dissuaded. Seven charging Frozlugas at once? That would just be stupid. But they weren't giving up their chase. Bryan tried to weave amongst the ice to lose them but nothing he did could shake them. Then…what was that? There was a split in the ice where the glacier met the water. It looked like it went somewhere. Hopefully it wasn't just a trick of the light through the ice. Bryan dove for it. Luckily the gap opened up into an ice cave. He had to be careful when entering, the space wasn't that big. The Nightmares continued their charge and crashed heavily into the ice, fracturing and breaking the glacier, closing the entrance behind him. The Nightmares couldn't get in.

But now Bryan couldn't get out.


	3. TheIceFields: In The Cave

Bryan looked around this eerie prison. The Frozlugas hadn't been able to follow him after the ice had collapsed. The stars and Northern lights shining through the ice looked so surreal. The ice was clear but so thick and with so many facets from the inside light made its way down strangely. Strange but beautiful.

Thankfully the magic of flight was still working. The last thing he needed was to drop into the icy ocean with no way to get out. The walls were smooth, offering no ledges to rest upon and pull himself out of the water should he fall in. Now what? With enough strength and possibly fire magic he could break his way out. The Frozlugas had broken the ice to cause the collapse of the wall so it was obviously thin enough to break through. Then again there was a small pod of them hitting it all at once. Bryan couldn't see anything through the ice but for all he knew they were still out there. It would be all kinds of stupid to bash his way to freedom, tiring himself out, only to find several enemies waiting for him. On top of that, trying to break out from the inside might actually cause more damage than intended if he wasn't careful. For all he knew this cave was structured like a teetering jenga tower, too much disturbance to the wrong peg could cause the entire structure to fall. He didn't need to be at the bottom of an ice avalanche.

Not sure what his other options might be, Bryan started exploring the ice cave. He kept No Shortcuts in hand in the event of a sudden attack from the water below. There was nothing at the water line. And he couldn't tell if the dark spots below the water in places were gaps in the ice or just shadows. Not exactly the best laid plan either way. If it was just a shadow then he gets frozen for nothing. If it is an opening there would be no way of knowing if it was big enough to get through or even went anywhere. The only place to look was up. But that too had its problems since after about six feet up he'd just float back down again. Which got annoying real fast. Bryan solved the problem the best he could by jabbing his Keyblade into the ice and pulling himself upward that way. He kinda felt like a balloon against a wall after it's been static-ized.

Although it wasn't his preferred method of travel, the search did bear fruit. Up above another crag in the ice was visible and this one did go somewhere. It wasn't even a tight squeeze either. The tunnel opened up into a huge cavern beneath the glacier. It was even more impressive than the one he had just come from. The lights from above even looked more beautiful and unreal as they filtered through the ice then reflected back up from the still water. It was like flying over a mirror. Shame he didn't know if there was even a way out. This place was really cool.

Part of him wanted to run his Keyblade across the surface of the water to watch how the reflected light would dance but at the same time didn't want to disturb the stillness. But something had beaten him to it. While gliding as far above the water he could, Bryan took notice that the water was no longer mirror-flat. Something had disturbed it from below. Bryan gripped No Shortcuts tighter. So what Nightmare was going to try and take him on this time? Not like he really wanted to fight in an ice cave. He could imagine the walls were thick and would require a beating of tremendous force in order to make it collapse. Still, he didn't want to be the one to find out otherwise. Some of those seahorse things shot fire after all. And he'd seen firsthand the force of a Frozluga's charge.

A dark shape moved in the water. It was a little longer than he was tall. It circled and kept its distance at first, then started circling closer. Were there sharks in the ice? No. He couldn't feel any darkness. This thing wasn't preparing to attack. Bryan lowered his Keyblade. Slowly he flew towards it. The shadow went deeper into the water when he approached. But after a moment it began to rise again. Then a strange head broke the surface of the water and stared at him.


	4. TheIceFields: Looking For A Way Out

Bryan had never seen a proper whale before. The baby humpback was certainly an odd little creature. Cute round eyes but with a strange shaped mouth and fins with bumpy edges. Like the Frozluga it didn't have a dorsal fin either. He wasn't an expert but he thought all whales or dolphins did, at least that's what pictures in books lead him to believe. Rachel would have known. Being an animal fanatic she made it her business to be a living encyclopedia.

Whale and key bearer approached one another with more curiosity than caution. But the way it was looking at him suggested it was more than just a simple minded animal. It looked a little young to be on its own. Were its parents in here too? That didn't seem right. Whales were supposed to be huge. If this was just a baby then the parents really must be big. No way would they fit in here. Was it lost? Stuck in here like him? The baby allowed him to pat it on the end of its funny snout. After that it remained beneath him like a second shadow. Together they looked for a way out.

Good thing the whale seemed to understand what he was saying. He asked it a few times to dive as far as it could to see if there was an exit somewhere below. If it could find one, maybe he could brave the waters if the whale could pull him along faster than he could swim on his own. But every time it returned the baby only shook its head (which incidentally moved most of its body) that it had been unsuccessful.

A few Nightmares came up from the water now and then. Their appearance scared the poor calf silly. But their numbers were few and Bryan could defeat them easily. He flew as close to the water's surface as he dared to offer the whale some comfort. The cave caverns and tunnels varied in size and seemed to go on forever. Bryan was glad this place wasn't as cold as it should be. He didn't know how well he'd be faring if it was at or below zero like he suspected it would have had to have been. Only once did Bryan cast a fire spell to warm his fingertips. Saving the worlds would take on a whole new degree of difficulty if he was a Popsicle.

Then Bryan noticed he was seeing something different. Light was shining a distance away in another chamber. But this light was coming from _within_ the chamber, not shining down from the stars or Northern Lights. And it was very bright. Even from a distance with ice walls in his way he could see that. Could they have found the lair of a powerful Dream Eater? No doubt if they had there would be no way out except to get passed it. Then again, the closer the snuck, Bryan wasn't feeling any dark energy. He would have loved to have just been overly cautious.

Wait.

He stopped. Something was beyond another wall of ice. Something in the air. Something dark. And something HUGE!


	5. TheIceFields: Above The Sky

Bryan had his Keyblade at the ready. If whatever it was-was intent on attack it could have easily smashed through the ice. Perhaps it hadn't seen them? Not a great consolation. If key bearer and calf were able to get out, they would have that huge creature to worry about once they did. But was it in fact outside or just on the other side of a wall that only lead to more caverns?

Oh no. Bryan's grip on his Keyblade tightened. The dark shape had turned and was unmistakably facing toward them. No, not one something but two! Wonderful! How the heck was he supposed to defeat or outrun two things that freakin' huge! The little whale however swam right up to the wall of ice to meet the dark shape. Bryan tried to tell it to hold back but it didn't listen. It was then he realized something and relaxed right away. The silhouettes, although distorted through the ice were also very whale-like. This had to be the calf's parents. On the other side of the wall they were looking or waiting for their baby.

But they were so high above the ice. Had he been traveling downward in the cave the whole time, trapped in air pockets in the ice and was now underwater? No, that wasn't right. Even air pockets didn't slowly slope the water level like a glass tipped on an angle. The water level had remained the same so it stood to reason the adult whales were in fact above the water and in the open air. But how was that possible? Yeah, the sea creature type Dream Eaters he'd seen so far had swum in the air, but they were Nightmares, creatures of dreams, entities that did not obey the laws of common physics. Could this baby whale in fact be a young Spirit Master Yen Sid had talked about? That didn't seem right either. Dream Eaters had a certain look no matter what shape they took that this calf just didn't have. Besides, as far as he could see it didn't have an emblem on it anywhere either.

So whales that swum in the air instead of water. Sounded impossible. Then again, one of his good friends was an elephant baby that used his ears as wings and his pal was a talking mouse. No limits on the impossible. Even though he and Rachel agreed on that quite a while ago Bryan still had to remind himself of it from time to time.

The adult whales moved along the outside of the ice wall. Were they leading them? The calf was certainly following. Not having any better ideas of his own, Bryan did the same. They followed the adults for quite a distance and had to weave around a few times depending on where the ice in the cave was. Did the whales even know a way out or were just hoping to find one? But finally they rounded a corner in the ice and came to an open cavern. In the center was a pillar of light that shone upward and through a hole in the high ceiling. This must have been the source of the light Bryan had seen before. And a hole was certainly a way out but his magic currently wouldn't allow him to fly that high.

Chunks of loose ice were being drawn to the light pillar as though magnetized by it. The most interesting part though was once the fragments were within the pillar, they rose from the water and started floating upward. The calf kept its distance, unsure if it was brave enough to try that route. Bryan flew directly above it and patted it reassuringly on its head.

"I'll be right here with you," Bryan said. "We can go together."

The baby whale made a gesture like a nod and together they inched toward the light. The baby paused when they were right at the edge of the light. Bryan flew forward to show the calf there was nothing to be afraid of. He tapped a floating ice piece and sent it spinning as it floated away. Then the key bearer could feel himself being tugged upward! It wasn't a hard or forceful tug but Bryan was sure he wouldn't have been able to go against it if he tried.

"C'mon," He called to the calf. "Don't make me leave without ya."

Not wanting to be left alone again the whale was under the light in a single paddle. Within seconds it began to float too. It flapped around a bit, unsure of how to stay upright. Bryan was having a similar problem. It was like being a blob in a lava lamp. Up and up they went. Bryan did all he could to keep himself center so as not to hit the outside rim of the ice. But there was no need for such precautions. The hole was wide enough he and the baby whale could have fit through it at the same time with more than an arm's length of clearance on all sides.

The farther up they went the weaker the light pillar's magic became. But now, out in the open the calf could swim in the air just like its parents. Bryan played it safe and landed on the ice a fair distance from the hole. Only then did he get a good look at the adult whales. Their size was really something amazing. Never before had he seen any living thing that big. One of them swam very close so he was level with its giant eye. Bryan could see himself perfectly in the reflection of the great black pupil. Those eyes sparkled and were full of warm loving light. Bryan wondered if this was the mother.

She made a sound unlike anything he had ever heard. Was that a 'thanks for the help' grunt/moan/whatever-the-heck-that-noise-was? He said aloud that he had found and protected the calf from the Nightmares he'd found in the cave. She made that odd noise again but there was clearly a soothing undertone to her call. Bryan waved good-bye to the calf and its parents, prepared to traverse the ice fields once again in search of his sister. But the calf didn't want to say good-bye. It 'swam' up close and nudged him, asking him to come with it. Not seeing what it could hurt Bryan took to the air as high as he could and glided above the ice. The parents didn't make an objection obvious so the key bearer assumed they didn't have any.

But the glacier only went so far in the direction the whales were going. Again, he was fine with this being their departure point. They had their own business and he still had a mission. But as he hovered at the edge of the ice, one of the adults 'swum' up close to the cliff and extended one of its flippers, creating a bridge for him to cross onto its back. So long as it was offering. Maybe wherever they were going would be beneficial to him too. Especially if it was across the ocean. There would be no need to worry about his flight magic giving out if he wasn't actually flying.

Suddenly a bright star in the sky started glowing and flashing. The whales saw it and right away one of them splashed back into the ocean. The curious calf followed but the whale Bryan was riding stayed above in the air. He leaned as far over his spot on the whales head as he dared. The water was just too dark to see anything, especially if it went down deep. What was it doing? The seconds ticked by slowly as Bryan's curiosity began to grow. Then the calf jolted out of the water as if startled by something. Had its parent stirred up some Nightmares?

Then a huge plume of vapor shot up from the water and dark backs broke the surface. Then another. Then another. The startled calf flew to the safety of its mothers shadow. Bryan could only watch in awe as what had to be easily a hundred whales break the surface of the icy ocean and seamlessly take to the air. Rachel would have loved this. He was loving it. Suddenly Bryan felt himself slipping. The whale had taken a sharp upward turn to ascend. Out of habit he caught himself by flying. And happily a whale's back counted as a fly-over-able surface. The pod grouped close together and flew with grace beneath the diamond stars and rainbow lights.

They moved at great speed, leaving the ice fields far behind in no time at all. The landscape beneath them changed. No more were the great sheets of ice and glassy water. Below was lush vegetation, flowing rivers and majestic mountains. And still the whales sailed on. Above the mountains and into the sky. They breached the clouds high above, jumping as though it were the surface of the ocean but the journey continued. The energy ran strong throughout the pod. Even Bryan could feel it. Bryan moved to the head of his whale, feeling freer and more exhilarated than he ever had before in his life. He braced his stance and held out his arms wide, taking in the great rush of air and the endless expanse of the open sky. Bryan couldn't help it, he laughed. Whether of triumph, joy, elation or euphoria he wouldn't have been able to say. But his smile was wide and his heart filled with emotions with no names. There was music in the air. In the clouds. In the whales. In the stars. In every fiber of his being. There was freedom. What else could he have possibly ever wanted?

The whales rose up against a mountain of cloud then slid down the valley beyond it. Up ahead was a truly strange sight. Clouds were shaped in wide arcs, obscuring the view of some kind of bright light high above. Was that a mountain beneath it? A pillar of clouds? It had to be clouds. Lightning was flashing around and within it. The pod was heading straight for it. Thunder sounded like thunder but also deep resonating drums. Lightning was the crash of symbols. Still they pressed on, unafraid.

They passed through the clouds. Lightning flashed on all sides but not a one of them was actually hit by it. Bryan could feel the deep vibrations of the thunder resonate in his chest. Then, as soon as they were in the clouds pillar, they had passed through it. The landscape had changed once again. How was that possible? They were underwater! Bryan could tell by the way the light from above reflected on the backs of the whales. He could feel the drag of the water as his whale sped through it. Yet, he didn't fall off. He didn't feel wet and he could still breathe.

They swam directly upward. Bryan crouched low. His whale was almost completely vertical. The entire pod was. The water wasn't water anymore. At least not completely. This place made no sense. Still it was fascinating. But the cloud/water layer didn't last long. Just as soon as they had passed through it they were above it! The entire pod breached the water at once. Massive bodies a hundred strong leapt and twisted high. And still it wasn't completely water. It was more like moonlight poured into a vast sea. Once again wherever they were was surreal and incredible! It was like the pod had swum to the sky and beyond the sky. A huge glittery star shone bright like a sun. It was beautiful. Quite possibly the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. The moonlight water spray from the last whales lit up gold with the magnificent star behind it.

Then all was calm.

The whale family was in the water again. It felt like he was on a living island. The female shook her head and Bryan slipped off. He expected to go _splash_ but it was actually more of a _fwump_. He could stand on water like the whales and swum in the air? No, the strange moon water was changing so it was more like clouds. The star was either fading or receding as it became smaller. The diamond sky around them was clearing up into a crisp blue. Bryan gave each of the whales a rub on the head to express his thanks. The adults made a motion like an accepting nod then dove their massive bodies beneath the clouds no different than if it were the ocean. The calf hesitated before following. Even then, a few seconds later it jumped from the water, flapping its tail wildly with one final goodbye before they all disappeared and the calmness resumed.


	6. Phoenix Forest

Rachel opened her eyes. She blinked. Several times.

The landscape threw her for a loop. It wasn't even a landscape. It was more of a _sky_scape. Somehow she was in the sky in a field of clouds. The sky above was a crisp blue. At first Rachel tensed, afraid she would sink right through the clouds and fall. But she didn't. Still didn't stop her from being afraid to move. Very carefully she took a step forward. These clouds were puffy but solid. It was like walking on compacted cotton balls. Rachel rocked back and forth on her heels. It was very squishy. Interesting. She could walk on clouds no differently than on the ground.

"Sweet! Bryan! Isn't this awesome-m-m-um...Bryan?"

It was then Rachel realized she was alone. She looked around. No Bryan. She called out again. No answer. She climbed up a hill of cloud. Not a great vantage point but better than nothing. Not like it did her much good anyway. She still didn't see her brother. So Rachel tried to get higher. Maybe she could see him from a distance. But for all her efforts she saw nothing.

"Not good," She said to herself, trying not to allow worry or panic in before she knew the facts. "Master Yen Sid said he was guiding us to Fantasia. We should be in the same place, right? Then again," Rachel looked around again. From where she was standing she could see land below. "That book was pretty big. He said we'd end up in Fantasia…but that could mean we could have landed anywhere. And first sign of going insane is talking to yourself. Oh well, at least I know I'm listening."

Being separated was not the most comforting of thoughts. They could spend a good portion of their time just trying to find each other before they could move on to the next world. Who knew how many scores were in that book? And who knew how large an area each musical piece covered. As she thought about it Rachel could hear music. It was quiet at first. Like hearing someone play piano from across a house. It was a lovely, gentle melody. After a while Rachel would stop hearing it entirely, it would be more of a pleasant white noise that became a part of you. For now she enjoyed it.

With a great leap Rachel jumped off from atop her pillar of cloud to fly to the platform below. Only it didn't work out as smoothly as she anticipated. Instead of flying gracefully to bottom, she fell. She pinwheeled a bit the second she realized she was falling instead of soaring. Rachel flumped face first onto the cloud below. She spat out a mouthful. It was soft and cotton-ish and had no taste whatsoever. Rachel got to her feet and brushed herself off. It was then she noticed her clothes were different too.

She looked like she were dressed for a casual Sunday afternoon. The shirt went passed her waist then flared a bit like it couldn't decide if it wanted to be a long shirt or a skirt so it settled for both. The sleeves were light like peasant sleeves with a cuff at the wrist. A sleeveless vest just a few inches shorter than the shirt with a pale floral pattern around the bottom. And-dang! Over-the-knee boots with wedge bottoms? Rachel hoped it wasn't just because this was a dream that the shoes were so comfortable. She'd always been fine with her calf-highs and thought anything higher would feel strange around the knee.

No Bryan. Her clothes and changed. And for some reason she couldn't fly. Had she run out of pixie dust? Duh. This was a dream. Things didn't work the same in a dream. Then again, if this was a dream…could she dream things up and make it happen? Rachel tried to fly again. It sort've worked. She could stay in the air and fly about but only about six feet up before she'd start sinking again. She could fly around normally just as long as she didn't go any higher. If she took the high ground anywhere she could glide down it at a slow and steady descent but she had no other control. Ok. Half measures are better than nothing. Awesome that she could still fly though so best not complain too much.

Amidst her contemplations a new sound could be heard through the world's melody. Strange creatures had appeared not far away. They weren't heartless but Rachel could sense they were trouble. In the air above her an odd collection of creatures had gathered. Half were dark owls with freakishly round eyes. The rest with huge flying horses! Although neither looked like a real owl or horse. The Pegasus' wings weren't even attached to its body but it still flew. It kicked its front legs dangerously, presenting itself as a challenger.

Rachel called forth her Keyblade. But it wasn't Treasure in You. Her blade had reverted back to her half of No Shortcuts. Well Master Yen Sid did say things from the tangible world may not be able to cross into the dream world. No matter. She could still fight just fine even with her basic blade.

The Dream Eaters presented a greater challenge than Rachel anticipated but she was victorious all the same. No different than how she fought against Heartless, Rachel didn't lower her blade until a minute or two after the last foe appeared, just to be certain there weren't any more. Confident they were gone for now she relaxed. Not even the sky was safe apparently. Was something else up here that brought monsters up this high? Oh! A castle in the clouds perhaps? Now that would be sweet.

As she crossed the clearing in the clouds something caught her eye. There were sparkly things in the clouds. Funny. Something like that she would have noticed before. Closer inspection revealed the source to be beautiful but oddly shaped crystal shards. Most were similar in shape and color. Could the Nightmares have left them behind? Figments of the imagination perhaps? Either way they certainly were pretty. Rachel still had her side pouch and it still possessed the magic of endless space so she collected up all the pieces and took them with her.

There was no castle in the sky for as far as she could tell. Shame. Going up didn't yield anything interesting except more interesting skyscapes and Nightmares so she started going down. Other dream eaters than the Peepsta Hoo and the Pegaslick started showing up with some frequency. Two kinds of eagle nightmares and a small round bat thing dove all around. Being as they were all flying types and Rachel couldn't really fly that well anymore, fighting them got increasingly aggravating.

Rachel looked down from the lowest cloud. It was the lowest one she could find and it was still very high up. Down below a forest looked to be in the dead of winter. Odd how the world below could look so dreary yet the sky so clear. The music matched the mood but even that was okay. Everything about the music of the world felt right. Rachel trekked through the lower clouds but this was apparently the lowest level. Nowhere could she find a place to get nearer to the ground. How far could gliding last? Last thing she needed was to be on a slow descent then have the magic decide it wouldn't last any longer. Even in a dream going _splat_ was still just that. As much as Rachel enjoyed free-falling there was always that sudden stop she could do without.

However, solutions sometimes present themselves in strange or unexpected ways. After dealing with a swarm of Komory Bats the young key bearer made an interesting discovery. On the edge of a cloud was a strange crystalline formation. It vaguely resembled a fountain. Very odd. She gave it a cautious prod with her Keyblade. It glowed a little bit but otherwise did nothing. Curious, Rachel tapped it again only harder. Suddenly the thing came to life and with a burst of blinding light a gorgeous rainbow erupted from it and snaked its way down to the forest below. Travel via rainbow? Sweeeeet. Should be a nice easy stroll to the bottom.

As if.

The moment Rachel set foot on the rainbow a magical force sparked from within it and she started to slide faster and faster. At first it was startling and a little freaky. But as soon as the shock wore off it was an awesome and wild ride. Rachel screamed and hollered as she sped along the rainbow rail. She could do that all day. Only problem was she was going so fast and she didn't know how to stop. The exit off the rail was not that smooth and she landed in a snowbank. Still, she whooped and hollered with triumphant with wild delight all the same. When she found Bryan she'd have to bring him back to this place to try the rainbow rail. That was too cool to do only once.

Another crystal was on the ground at the other end of the rainbow, connecting it to the one in the clouds. It didn't vanish after Rachel was flung off it. Brushing the snow off herself Rachel stood up and started walking. No direction was a bad one at this point. Oddly too, the snow really wasn't that cold. But the snow didn't go on forever. After facing a few more clusters of Nightmares, primarily Peepsta Hoo's, Pricklemanes and a large and beautiful unicorn Nightmare called a UniGlow the landscape changed rapidly.

It was much like Neverland. Rachel could have one foot ankle deep in snow and the other on lush green grass. It was like stepping into an entirely new world. Maybe it was. Maybe this was the point one type of music changed into another. Rachel listened. No, sounded like it was supposed to be a part of the same score she'd been hearing. It didn't take long to find the source of the dramatic change.

A cluster of Nightmares had gathered around a flowering tree. Yoggy Rams and Tama Sheep took turns ramming their heads into the trunk, trying to shake something down that was out of their reach. A young woman dressed in a long green cloak was trying to frighten them away as well as save the tree. The Dream Eaters were not at all put off by her attempts at intimidation and kept trying to knock the tree down to get to her.

"Hey!" Rachel shouted, running to them, Keyblade in hand.

The three Yoggy Rams stomped their feet and shook their strange horns before charging. As soon as the first one got close it started shooting flames from its horns! Between their dark colors and flaming horns, the strange rams looked downright evil. On the flipside the Tama Sheep couldn't look intimidating if they tried. Defeating the rams wasn't terribly difficult but still no picnic. While bashing the daylights out of one another would charge in, horns blazing. Luckily there were only three. Until she could learn to fight better in the dream world, Rachel hoped they wouldn't attack in larger numbers.

The forest resumed its calm. From its hiding place a majestic elk stepped out through the trees. It watched with kind and wise eyes but otherwise did nothing. The girl came down from the tree. But as Rachel discovered she wasn't really a girl at all, at least not in the human sense. What Rachel had mistaken for a cloak was actually a long mass of vegetation that flowed from the girls' arms. Even her hair was made of grass and vines. The girl wore no clothes but had too few defining features for it to have mattered. She was just a little shorter than Rachel. The key bearer wasn't sure what to make of her. Her body seemed to constantly shift between being human and being plant.

The nymph approached Rachel with a grateful smile.

"Are you alright? Those creatures didn't hurt you did they?"

The girl shook her head then went to the tree. With a brush of her arm over the trunk, the splinters created from the ramming were healed.

"I'm Rachel."

The nymph made a gesture of welcome.

"What's your name?"

The girl shook her head.

"You don't have a name?"

She shook her head again.

"Can you not talk either?"

She shook her head for a third time.

_At least she's friendly because this is going nowhere fast._ Rachel thought.

"Are there a lot of those creatures here?"

The nymph scowled and nodded. She then went into a very elaborate miming, describing how she was the forest nymph of spring and it was her job to bring the forest to life after winter. Only the Nightmares never failed to interfere with her work. They would either harass her directly or destroy the work she'd done. It was hard to keep up with her duties and keep herself safe when Yoggy Rams set her flowers on fire or UniGlows drained the life from the trees with their magic.

Rachel repeated the story back to the nymph to make sure she was understanding the charade game correctly. She had. "Maybe we can help each other. I can fight the Nightmares and keep them busy while you make things grow. I'll stick around for as long as I can. But I'm also looking for my brother." Rachel described Bryan but the nymph just shook her head. She hadn't seen anyone else. And even though she wouldn't leave her forest the nymph agreed to keep an eye out for him all the same.

Together they traversed the grand forest. Snow dissolved magically to make way for thick carpets of lush grass and moss. The nymph spread her arms and the greenery behind her would billow and she would fly as though they were wings. Everything she touched grew and blossomed. Dormant trees regained their color and fanned their wide leaves. Bushes and vines glistened with jewel-like berries. Bees, butterflies and birds seemed to come from nowhere and brought their radiance to the increasing beauty of the forest. The nymph grew trees and flowers as she saw fit. The most beautiful blossoms from flowers and trees alike created the most heavenly of fragrances. She showed off her skills, making even more beautiful flowers and budding trees with graceful limbs. Rachel challenged her once in a while by describing a flower to see if the nymph could make it. Every challenge was met except for the lilly with rainbow colored petals and gold stamen.

And no matter where the Nightmares appeared Rachel was close behind to send them back to the shadows. Sometimes it was too late before a Pricklemane tore up a thicket or a Cyber Yog trampled a flower patch while fighting. But with the extra help the nymph was able to repair the damage quickly. Soon they had brought spring to a very large portion of the forest. All the while Rachel would occasionally call out in case her brother was nearby. The elk broke off from them to search on its own. Rachel and the nymph made a wide arc back to the rainbow crystal. From what Rachel had seen of the forest, the rainbow was the only way to get to another place and she didn't want to get too far from it or at least not know how to get back to it.

"Where should we go next?"

Rachel inspected the crystal to make sure everything was still intact. It wouldn't have done her much good if come to find out the Dream Eaters had destroyed the connection somehow. The nymph pointed toward a mountain in the opposite direction of where they'd been. Winter still held its ground in that direction and the mountain looked gray and dreary. Of all places that needed a spring makeover. From a distance the mountain looked like a grumpy giant. With her Keyblade in hand Rachel flew off after the nymph the best she could, taking care of Nightmares as they appeared.


	7. PhoenixForest: The Firebird

Huge patches of green formed along the mountain. It was coming to life beautifully. Even if the rough landscape wasn't suited for tall trees it still looked beautiful with fine grasses and thick patches of shrubbery. No doubt some deer or mountain goats or something would appreciate the vegetation in their mountain home. Then again, Rachel wasn't seeing any animals on this mountain at all. True, they'd only covered a small portion of it but still even in the dead of winter creatures are about. With that in mind, an uncomfortable feeling started to get cozy in the pit of Rachel's stomach. Especially when she realized they were finding fewer and fewer Nightmares the higher they went.

As if to confirm her suspicions the nymphs magic stopped working. The nymph stopped; startled that the grass and small flowers she was trying to grow didn't appear. She tried again. But there seemed to be some kind of invisible line her magic could not cross. Rachel knelt down and felt the ground. The soil was rough and strangely warm. But there was something else too. It felt…lifeless. Like all that made it fertile to even the lowliest plant had been leeched away. The creature of concern grew restless from its nesting place in Rachel's stomach. This didn't feel natural at all. Something had to have caused this.

The girls looked up to the top of the mountain. They could see a faint plume of smoke. Rachel was about to suggest to the nymph that they just circle the mountain and bring in spring to all the places that would allow it. This place felt like trouble. So what if the mountaintop remained bare? It's like that one spot you don't sweep. In the grand scheme of things it really isn't that big a deal. But she never got the chance. The nymph was already gliding her way up to the top. Rachel had no choice but to follow.

The top of the mountain opened up into a wide but shallow crater. It was dark, gloomy and made Rachel's skin crawl. Everything was black or brown. Even the sun didn't seem to want to shine up there. The nymph was curious though. She wanted to know what it was about this place that refused to accept new life. An odd formation protruded out of the center of the crater. The forest spirit went down to get a closer look. The key bearer was frozen in her place at the edge of the ridge. The concern she'd felt before evolved into dread and started to claw and gnaw at her.

Rachel called to her new friend, telling the forest sprite about the bad feeling in her gut and that they should just get out of there. Her skin started to prickle. Rachel didn't understand how she just knew it but there was something very wrong about this place. Something wrong and something very bad. The nymph turned back to her with a 'just a quick look' sort of expression. She inched closer and reached out a delicate hand to touch the strange formation.

"No," Rachel muttered under her breath. "Just leave. Just forget about it and let's go!"

Milliseconds before the nymphs' fingers touched the odd rock the stone broke apart! Two large, fire-red openings split open like raging eyes. Instantly smoke and ash billowed from the center of the crater. In seconds the smoke rose higher and higher as if it were to cloak the entire sky. Lava spewed high from the place where the formation had broken.

The nymph stood so close but was too frightened to move. Rachel tried to call to her to snap out of it and run but her voice caught in her throat at what happened next. Lava geysered from the opening again, only this time it kept flowing and rising upward. The liquid fire was alive! The Firebird spread its massive wings wide, lighting up the sky orange and red in its flames. Everything about it emitted the essence and power of pure destruction.

Finally the nymph ran. As much as Rachel wanted to bolt herself she didn't until her friend had caught up. The Firebird shot molten lava from its mouth. The blast missed the nymph but barely. Rachel called the Wind to give the nymph a push as she ran. When they were together again the girls half ran half flew down the mountain. Only once they were at the bottom did the key bearer dare look behind her. The sight made her insides freeze with terror. The Firebird had receded into the mountain but had emerged again in a bright lava flow. The deluge of liquid flame covered the mountain, making it glow like the surface of the sun. But that wasn't the worst part. Even from its closing distance, Rachel could see the two huge yellow eyes of the Firebird in the oozing mass of lava. It was following them.

Periodically one girl would reach for the other, either to direct to a safer path or keep the other from falling behind. The only thing that kept them ahead of the flaming torrent was the Firebird's desire to prevent their escape. Its fire spread wide across the forest, burning everything in its path. Flowers dried up and smoldered with the heat before the flames could even touch them. The mighty trees groaned under the dry heat and burned like matchsticks once the lava flowed by them.

The only place to go was forward.

Rachel tried to use as much Ice magic as she could in a ditch attempt to keep the lava from gaining. But all tries were in vain. The air rippled with heat. Even magic ice could only hiss as it rapidly melted and evaporated. Now Rachel was truly scared. It was getting hard to hear over the sound of her pounding heart and the blood thundering in her ears. Whatever this thing was, it wasn't anything like a Heartless and it wasn't a Dream Eater. The Firebird was the embodiment of destruction itself. How would it ever be possible to defeat something like that?

A low groan of agony echoed across the burning forest as a great tree fell, the base of its trunk burned to charcoal. Rachel leapt to the right to avoid getting crushed. The sprite jumped to the left. The lava flow was gaining now. As hard as the girls tried to reconvene the Firebird was determined to keep them apart. Great splashes of fire kept them moving forward but also kept increasing the distance between them. For whatever reason the Firebird was more interested in the nymph than it was the key bearer. That didn't stop her from trying to help her new friend.

But Rachel was truly frightened now. Every step she took was a step away from the nymph. Neither of them would be able to flee forever. The Firebird wasn't the kind of enemy you could fight and have a prayer to win. And Rachel couldn't stop thinking about the old myth that if you die in a dream you die for real. She did not want to be the one to find out if that were true.

Suddenly she noticed something twinkling in the distance. It was the crystal! The rainbow rail was still intact! If she could get to it, she could escape into the clouds! Rachel shouted across the forest the best she could to the nymph, telling her where to go. She waved her Keyblade and sent up fireworks of Ice. If the nature spirit could just get around the lava, Rachel saw no reason the rail wouldn't work for her too.

Rachel's heart leapt. The nymph had seen her signal. With all her might the forest spirit ran, leapt and climbed over every obstacle, making every attempt to reach her friend. Rachel ran hard toward the crystal. Every time she glanced over to see what had become of the nymph the distance between them grew shorter. Flames gorged themselves on the tall pines and the deluge of lava still flowed with wanton abandon but the nymph was catching up. Confident she would make it Rachel waited only a moment before jumping on the rail. The magic activated immediately and she was pushed upward into the sky.

Every foot above the ground she gained the air became cooler, no longer a prisoner of the intense heat from the blazing forest. But looking down was as heartbreaking as it was terrifying. The land below was now an ocean of liquid fire. The remaining trees soon caught fire, becoming flaming beacons to the destruction around them. And just when things became too terrible to bear, they got worse. The Firebird had cut off the nymph's path to the rainbow rail. She had no choice but to divert her path. But the Firebird no longer found pleasure in the chase as it did the capture. Rachel shouted out to the nymph. She had to help her but she couldn't get off the rail. The key bearer tried jumping but some kind of magic force always brought her feet back down and kept on sliding. She couldn't figure out how to turn around. But what then? The crystal would soon be-no, was now engulfed with lava. If she could make it down and the crystal was destroyed there would be no way back up. Even if she could Glide down from the clouds she wouldn't be able to fly high enough to rescue the nymph and escape the Firebird.

The end of the rail came up so fast Rachel was ejected forcibly. After taking a rolling tumble she came to a splatting stop against a cloud wall. Rachel didn't even try to shake off the dizzy before standing up again. She had to know what was going on. The rainbow rail was still intact although the crystal on the ground could no longer be seen. The sky beyond the cloud walk was the most malevolent shades of twisting black smoke. The air rippled with the heat it almost appeared to be made of water. The nymph was nowhere to be seen. Rachel held No Shortcuts high, the end blazing with lightning. Maybe if she could see the light she could give some sign to her presence. She did. But what Rachel saw made every muscle in her torso tense with dread. The nymph was trapped at the top of the tallest remaining tree in the ocean of fire. There was no way even a tree that size would be able to stand tall for long with that much lava flowing around and burning its base.

Rachel didn't know what to do. It was only a matter of time before the Firebird realized where its quarry had gone. She couldn't go down and the nymph had no way up. Wait, maybe there was a way. But would it work? Rachel stood on the edge of the cloud with her Keyblade held tightly in both hands before her. With every fiber focused on saving her friend Rachel cast Aeroga and concentrated the Wind before her. If she could slide on a rainbow, maybe she could create a bridge of wind between the nymph and herself. The air around her began to move. It began as barely a breath then grew. If she could pull the wind toward herself, maybe the nymph could use it as just enough of a pathway to fly upon its guiding way to the clouds. The spell was working. She could feel the Wind obeying her. It was exhausting but it was the nymphs' only hope.

But the power of destruction would not be thwarted. Like a storybook monster, like a true malevolent nightmare the Firebird rose up high from the flames. Its yellow eyes blazing with insane fury and delight. Its beak open in a silent screech of triumph. It spread its molten wings wide, displaying its power. Its wings seemed to cover the world. It was fire. It was destruction. It was death.

And it would have its way.

Rachel didn't hear herself scream the nymph was devoured by the flaming might of the Firebird.


	8. PhoenixForest: Renewal

Rachel never knew how long she was up there. She was only vaguely aware she had fallen to her knees at the shock of what she had just witnessed. The nymph was gone. There was nothing she could have done to save her. Rachel hated that useless feeling. It had felt like she was only in this world for a few hours and already she had failed. What kind of a legacy was that? The fates of Dumbo, the circus, Bambi and his friends were uncertain all because she and her brother failed to find the Keyholes in time. And now she had personally witnessed the destruction of yet another friend.

She screamed and cried. For how long was anyone's guess. The rational part of her mind told her she was wasting her tears. It tried to remind her that she was sleeping. This was just a dream. Dreams may be wonderful and beautiful but are not real and end as though they never existed when the sleeping ends. But Rachel's heart promptly told her mind to take a flying leap. The nymph was real to her. The truth, if that in fact was the truth, didn't matter. Her heart told her she had found a friend. No one was going to ever tell her what she felt wasn't real. This wasn't just a senseless dream where you're mind guides you through the swirling reaches of your subconscious.

Rachel eventually looked down from her perch on the cloud walk. Perhaps she had been there longer than she thought or maybe it was just magic. The lava flow had vanished. Having destroyed its quarry the Firebird disappeared and the blanket of lava with it. But its path of destruction remained. Everything was smoky and grey. Even from the sky Rachel could smell the ash. Although everything looked irreversibly hopeless, she still jumped on the rainbow (which had also taken on a dismal gray tone, whether because of the smoke or her mood was up for debate) to the forest floor. She knew she was inviting pain by looking for the nymph but a part of her heart told her she'd regret not trying. The earth was warm beneath her shoes. Clouds of ash puffed and plumed with every footfall. And soft breeze whistled eerily through the scorched trees.

A shape moved in the gloom. It was the elk. It stood still, as if waiting for Rachel to follow it. Did it know something she didn't? The key bearer followed the mighty deer but it too appeared to be searching. Eventually it came to a stop by a mound of earth. The ground beneath the mound was unusually flat. The elk filled its great lungs but exhaled gently into the ash. The disturbed ash lifted and swirled then began to take shape. It was the nymph! But…it wasn't. She was small. Only about the size of a child's doll. She was no longer green. She was grey, and her spirits looked as empty and sorrowful as her color. The breeze caught her hair and blew away fine trails of dust. Pieces of ash flaked off her body like dry lizard skin. She hung her head and covered her face in shame and sorrow.

Rachel dropped to her knees beside the nymph. She was euphoric that her friend was alive yet, at the same time heartbroken to find her in such a state. She wanted to offer a comforting touch but was afraid she might crumble into dust if she did. Rachel didn't know what to say. How could there be any words of comfort at a time like this? Her forest, her beautiful spring had been destroyed. In essense, she had died. How indescribable her terror must have been, trapped and knowing what her pursuer was going to do. The elk gave her a nudge. Parts of her dusty skin flaked away but otherwise the nymph barely moved. She looked around, heartbroken at the state of her beautiful Spring.

The elk looked over yonder, then it looked back to Rachel. The willowy flower tree Rachel had first rescued the nymph from was still standing. Its remaining black branches looked like they could crumble into dust if someone so much as sneezed in its direction. What could a dead tree do to pick up her spirits? The elk didn't wait for her. He nudged the nymph again. This time she reached up her tiny arms on his brow tines and curled up on his forehead. She still looked completely crushed.

"Don't worry. Everything will turn out okay." Rachel said kindly but not quite convincing herself. Her conviction to be there for a friend was strong and would remain that way, even if she wasn't sure how exactly how to help. "If you let the grief weigh down your heart than that means the firebird wins. You can make things beautiful again. I'll help you however I can. Show me you still believe. Let's start with that tree."

The elk made a snort of agreement then started toward the tree, beginning at a brisk walk then quickly changing gait into a canter. Rachel followed it the best she could but right away began to fall behind. Even from the increasing distance, Rachel could see tears welling up in the nymphs eyes. The sorrowful tears slid down her cheeks then dropped to the ashy ground behind them.

How Rachel had been able to see what happen as quickly as she did would forever be a mystery even to her. The key bearer skidded to a stop so fast she nearly fell over on the loose dust. Milliseconds after the water of the nymphs tears hit the ground, little green shoots shot out from the soil, aided by a pale magic light. Rachel couldn't believe it. That was all it took. She looked over to the running elk, a smile spread wide. It was possible to set things right. The nymph had seen it too. Rachel had seen her smile before she was too far away to be seen clearly on the back of the cantering elk.

With the light of hope rekindled the nymph let go of the elk's antlers, spread her arms like a kite and let herself be pulled away from it. As she rose she regained her normal size. Her color was still gray but her skin was no longer flaky and dusty. Rachel resumed running along behind her the best she could. From high above she could see the nymphs color change as did her 'wings'. The gray slowly turned to blue and her smooth skin and hair looked like water. The long cloak of her hair extended far behind her. The back end hit the ground, coating it with life-giving water. The gap between was soon drenched with rain. With every drop shoots and vines stretched for freedom from the earth. Rachel was soon far behind the nymph, her shoes unable to even squelch in the mud for every greedy sprout had guzzled every drop. She hollered and cheered joyously for her friends triumph. Everything was going to be all right.

Suddenly huge masses of plant matter exploded from the ground all around her. Violently vines and trees ravaged the topsoil as they tore and clawed their way to the skies. It was as though even the lowliest seed was bursting with new life and uncontrollable vigor. The mighty pines resumed their rightful place as watchers of the forest. The sturdy oaks fanned their large leaves. Thousands of flowers burst open to be the first to kiss the sun and bless the world with their colors. The trees. The flowers. The grasses. They were one. Together they were the forest. Together they were life. Together they were spring. The Firebird may have destroyed them but it had not conquered them.

The nymph seemed to be in all places at once. With unimaginable speed and vitality she crossed her lands and brought back the beauty of springtime to the world. With untamable energy and joy the forest nymph flew up the mountain in a great spiral. Huge patches of emerald followed her, this time, unhindered.

"Yes! Yes! Yes!" Rachel jumped and cheered. Mimicking her brothers signature attack she flung her Keyblade high in the air, setting off a wide net of electric sparks and blasts of ice as it spun. The Firebird was gone. The nymph as all right. The forest was alive. And she hadn't seen a single Nightmare yet. Her eyes welled up with tears she was so happy.

With her forest brought back from the dead the nymph returned to her friend. She positively glowed with vitality. Rachel ran to her and the girls hugged with all the strength they had. The nymph pulled away first and made a 'hold on' gesture with her hands. She stooped low and drew her arms into a circle near the ground, the greenery of her arms draped across the grass. She pulled herself upward and parted her arms to reveal a tall and beautiful flower. Not just any flower. A lily. A lily with rainbow colored petals and sparkling gold stamen.

Rachel stared at the magnificent flower. "For me?" She asked, stunned.

The nymph smiled wide and nodded many times. Rachel wasn't sure if she was supposed to pick it or not. It looked just too beautiful to risk it dying.

"I-I don't-I don't know what to say. It's the most beautiful flower I've ever seen. I-."

The nymph cut her off with another hug. Rachel wasn't sure what happened next, but she heard something. Words. Unspoken words. Words that could only be heard by the heart.

_Thank you for being my friend_

Rachel returned the second hug. As happy as she was, she was also very sad. This had all the feelings of good-bye. As agonizing as the thought was, Rachel somehow knew this would be the last time she ever saw her again. Even if the world regained its heart after this adventure and she could visit Fantasia for real, it wouldn't be the same nymph.

Suddenly a bright flash of magic light startled them apart. The flower was glowing! From the ground up the stem and leaves receded into itself, shrinking and reshaping into a chain. The flower itself spread out its petals flat and took on a metallic sheen. The key chain floated in midair, held up by magic. Rachel took the chain before it fell. The nymphs eyes were wide with wonder. Rachel smiled.

"Watch this."

She called No Shortcuts and placed the beautiful chain on the blade with a snap. The Keyblade transformed. The shaft was long with a centerpiece like a golden carousel pole. A sparkly rainbow ribboned itself around it. The handle was also gold with ring of braided vines and flowers around it. The teeth glittered with gold. The pieces were oblong like flower petals with lots of negative space as the delicate interworkings weaved around on the inside, creating beautiful designs. Rainbow jewels twinkled like drops of morning dew from within the gold pieces. The Keyblade, Renewal was truly a magnificent one.

But now was time to say good-bye. The nymph and key bearer exchanged one last parting smile before the nymph took to the sky again. As she moved and twisted through the trees the forest was showered with fragments of grass, leaves, petals and magic. She was dissolving. Her magic to be caught in the wind and returned to the earth. The seasons would come and go. Life would drain from the forest and winter would come. All would be cold and frozen once again. But the cycle would continue. The elk knew his duty well. When the calls of springtime would tug at his heart, he would return to a small, water-filled cave and awaken her again.

Rachel waved for as long as she could before turning to go. Not sure where else to try she returned to the crystal and rode her way back to the clouds. The sky was a pretty big place after all. Maybe she'd find a path she missed that would lead to another score. Rachel looked over the magnificent forest with mixed feelings in her heart. The nymph was now no more than a cloud of magic in the distance, fading as it returned to the earth. She held Renewal tenderly.

"This Keyblade may disappear once I go back to the real world but the gift that made it will have not lost its value. I may never see you again but I will never forget you. You will always be real to me."

Unbeknownst to the key bearer something moved in the clouds behind her. The clouds masked the sound of footsteps. It was there from almost the moment she jumped off the rainbow rail. Poor Rachel. Her focus was directed too strongly elsewhere and she missed what she should have been able to sense.

The feeling of being watched.


	9. Reunited

Traveling within the clouds was certainly something Bryan never imagined himself doing. But he wasn't about to complain about it either. The rules of flight were the same and the skywalk had its own assortment of Nightmares. He didn't fail to notice that all the Dream Eaters he'd seen so far were animal-themed. The whales, seahorses, fish, snails and penguins in the Ice Fields, and the clouds had eagles, owls, bats and flying horses.

He traveled up as far as the clouds would go and did the same when going down. Several times Bryan got distracted by the music, stopping and going into almost a trancelike state as he listened and tapped along to it. He tried to make himself stop doing that. When you zone, there's no way of knowing how long you've been out for.

During one of those times he promised himself he wouldn't do again, Bryan was snapped out of the musical trance when he heard harsh sounds coming from a cloud layer below him. But it wasn't musical sounds. They were the noises of battle and the presence of Nightmares. Did something live up here and was in trouble? Instantly No Shortcuts was in his hand. He charged over the clouds, ready for any Nightmare that was causing trouble.

But as soon as Bryan cleared the ledge to see what was going on below he skidded to a halt so fast he almost lost his balance and tumbled right over it. It was Rachel! Had she been up in the clouds above him the whole time? He jumped from the ledge above to the battle below. His sudden appearance allowed him to land some heavy strikes against the Dream Eaters before they had a chance to realize there was someone else fighting against them.

Rachel hadn't seen him either. This would be a great way to surprise her. She had jumped high to bring down the final blow to an Eaglider. The second her feet were back on the clouds she pivoted on her ankle and swung hard. Bryan did the same and the two blades collided with a great clang. Bryan smiled to see his sisters look of surprise. But she got over it quickly and started laughing, glad they had found one another. Completely uncaring to the remaining Halbirds or Pegaslicks around them the brother and sister duo exchanged a few playful blows before resuming the fight. Even the Keyblade halves were glad to be together again. They rang out when they struck one another.

After the fight Bryan counted the seconds before Rachel hugged him. He wasn't the huggy type and usually could do without getting hugged but he was glad they were together again. Any enemies that showed up from then on were a breeze to defeat now that they had their duo groove back. And of course each of them wanted to know what the other had been doing.

Bryan told his sister all about the Ice Fields and riding the whales through the sky. In all honesty his storytelling skills were sub-par so he didn't give the experience the justice it deserved. After the whales had dove back down to earth he had been left in the sky like they were now. He'd shot off blasts of Fire or Thunder once in a while when on the edge of a cloud in the hopes if Rachel was down below somewhere she might see it. On his travels through the skywalk he had found a crystal that created a bridge to the ground. He rode it to the ground to find himself near a large garden of stone, fountains and hedges. Weirdest part was the discovery of a hippo in a green sheer tutu sleeping on a couch in the center. Weirder still was the herd of elephants in ballet slippers dancing around her. There didn't seem to be a lot of danger in dancing elephants and hippos dressed as ballerinas so he didn't feel the need to stay long.

Rachel told him about waking up in the sky then befriending the nymph in the Phoenix forest. Her story of outrunning the Firebird then watching as the nymph brought back spring was much longer. She too had returned to the sky and found another crystal quite a distance away that led to yet another score. That one had descended into beautiful valleys and meadows. Within it lived the most incredible assortment of creatures. Little unicorns and fauns pranced about in the meadows. A family of colorful pegasi flew overhead and lovely centaurettes beautified themselves up in the flowered forests. Dozens of pudgy faced cherubs picked flowers for their hair or braided their tails. She wanted to stay longer but wondered how she'd be accepted as the only human in a valley of fantasy.

"So we've found each other. Now what? Didn't Master say a door would appear when we were ready to leave?" Bryan said, trying to figure out how they might call a pathway to another sleeping world.

"Well we can't leave yet."

"Why not?"

"What if we can't go backwards to worlds previously visited in a dream? We need to find Fantasia's keyhole first."

"Do you have any idea how long it took me to find _you_? How are we supposed to find the keyhole?"

"Master Yen Sid loves this place, can you imagine how happy he'd be if this world could be made whole again after so long if we gave it a push from the inside?"

Once again she made a point that was hard to argue. "I'm not saying that I wouldn't like to but I have no idea where we'd even begin. Don't suppose you do."

"Maybe we'll get lucky."

Luck did seem to be on their side this time. The next crystal they found they jumped to the ground. This new place was nothing like anything they'd ever seen. There were no trees, rocks, hills, mountains, grass or even dirt. At least not in the traditional sense. And the music was incredibly dynamic. Almost the instant they had their feet on the ground the sky was blackened by something that looked like a massive hoard of black and red bats. The huge cloud of creatures, whatever they were-were chasing another smaller flock of more colorful bats, or birds or butterflies or whatever. The colorful things formed a tight circle in the sky the hoard of dark shapes couldn't get through. The music formed the clouds above and brought down bright beams of light that shattered through the black things. As quickly as it had begun, it was over. The black things were destroyed, the clouds parted and the colorful butterfly things flew away in the distance.

"That was interesting." Rachel said. "I wonder what else is here."

After the sky cleared the score changed and was much more soothing and calm. The landscape was sharply geometric with only a few organic shapes. The colors were obnoxiously bright. It was like an artist's pallet of pastels had exploded. The pieces were mostly smooth but their colors made them look textured. The pieces were everywhere. High, low, big, small, long, short, you name it.

"I hope these colors don't last." Bryan said. "This brightness is a bit much."

"Did you see that?"

"See what?"

"That light."

"Where?"

Rachel pointed to a cluster of sizeable rocks. Bryan looked for a second but didn't see anything at first. Then he saw what she had. There was a thin string of light that wiggled and moved between any two surfaces. It looked as though it were trying to hide, so, naturally, they tried to figure out what it was.

"Hello." Rachel called. "Don't be nervous. We won't hurt you."

The light peaked out from behind a rock then slinked back again.

"No, no no! It's ok! You can come out."

It didn't take long to coax it out. The light stayed put vertically between two rocks and let them approach.

"Hi," Rachel said. "What are you?"

"Is it a string?"

"String doesn't glow."

"And elephants don't fly."

"Touché."

The light wiggled a bit and for a string seemed to display emotion. It looked curious about them. The Soundtrack made a cheerful sound of violins. It lit up with the music and moved with all sorts of shapes as it made the sounds. Even the music sounded like a 'hello' as clear as the word itself.

"Whoa, do that again!" Rachel said.

It did but only with the sound of an oboe. But still the sound was like hearing a word or a feeling. The music this thing made was like hearing a spoken word. Much like the music of the world around them.

"This might sound like a dumb question," Bryan said. "But do you know anything about something called a 'Keyhole'? Or can you point us somehow to somebody that might?"

The Soundtrack made many rapid, happy twitters of the flute followed by a high pitched solo of violins and ended with a jazzy beat of the brass.

"I think that was a 'yes'." Bryan said.

"Either that or this thing only speaks 'opposite'." Rachel responded with a touch of friendly sarcasm.

The Soundtrack lit up with beautiful blue, pale yellow and whites with an amazing woodwind solo. The shapes it made were smooth and its movement fluid. Then, the shapes became wider and the outer edges smoothed out. The top and bottom few inches still tittered with the high notes of the flute and clarinet but the inside had opened up into the Keyhole! This thing had the Keyhole inside it? Certainly made sense. The Soundtrack was made of music itself, much like the world. The siblings sealed the Keyhole and the Soundtrack made a quick _twring_ of harp plucks like a pleasant shiver.

"So," Bryan said thoughtfully. "When this world gets its heart back,"

"Nothing is stopping it from waking up now."

Rachel and Bryan looked at each other, smiles widening on their faces. This world was one step closer to being restored. Somehow they would find a way to find Fantasia's heart then nothing would stand in the way of this beautiful world their Master loved from coming back.

Suddenly a crag of light appeared between several pieces of the colored 'rocks'. Light and color swirled within it.

"Looks like that's our exit." Bryan said.

"On to the next world then?"

Bryan nodded. Rachel thanked and said goodbye to the Soundtrack. It responded with a sassy saxophone then an upbeat organ. Again, without words a 'nice to meet you and good luck' couldn't have been clearer. The siblings made a running start then jumped into the light, beginning the dive to the next adventure.


	10. The Second Dive

Bryan opened his eyes. The dive had been incredible. It was like floating down a kaleidoscope tube and a lot of fun. Also it was nice he could see Rachel at all times so he remained certain they would end up in the same place this time. He looked around. Where were they? It was a bridge. And a really long one at that. It was the only connection to an island in the middle of a wide river. Every inch of the city was covered with steel and lights of a great metropolis. Coming from the deteriorating city of Hollow Bastion, skyscrapers and rivers of pavement were a dramatic change of scenery.

"Wow," Was all Rachel could say.

"Big difference from everywhere else we've been isn't it? And this is just the outside."

"I've never seen anything so square before. The houses, the buildings, it's all so geometric. Even the castle back home wasn't built anything like these."

"Notice no one is on this bridge? Isn't there supposed to be a lot of foot traffic or something on a bridge?"

"I guess it stands to reason that being so close to a big city there'd be more people on the move."

"Unless this place has such a bad Nightmare problem no one dares go outside."

"But if that's the case where are the-?

"You know what's going to happen now that you've said that."

Sure enough, just as they were about to exit the bridge to enter the city the first Dream Eaters appeared. A line of Meow Wows, Toximanders, Tama Sheep and pesky Pricklemanes blocked their path. They weren't that hard to defeat, especially as a team. But as they explored the seemingly deserted city they began to dread open spaces. That was where the big Nightmares liked to appear, including the Drill Sye, the heavily armored rhinoceros and the huge Zolephant. But other than that the only others they saw were the sassy, six-legged Necho Cat and the serpentine Hebby Repp. Clearing Nightmares was not too great a challenge since none of them appeared in great numbers. The most action happened when a very cranky Zolephant grabbed the end of Bryan's Keyblade with its trunk and flung him across the intersection like he was a Frisbee. Thankfully a friendly mailbox was there to stop the spinning.

"This place is weird." Rachel said. She placed the teeth of Renewal against the back of her brothers' head and used Cura. "The Nightmares are the only sign of life I've seen since we got here. Not even people peaking fearfully out of windows."

"Let's just find the Keyhole and get out of here before that happens again." Bryan said, rubbing his head.

"At least you were already half-flying when it happened."

"Not much of a consolation."

Every main street had its own slew of Dream Eaters but the inhabitants of the city thus far eluded them. Neither of them had seen anyone or anything that would suggest there was any populous to this place at all. Not so much as a stray alley cat or pigeon flew from the skyscraper ledges. No kidding, the number of Nightmares would freak anyone out and the fact you couldn't go down a single street without stirring up a few.

Suddenly the shrill _twrrrrrriinng_! of a security alarm startled them both out of their boots. From up ahead and around the corner were sounds of bricks crashing apart and thick glass shattering. They ran around the corner to better assess the situation and skidded to a halt at what they saw. A few buildings down, a shop of some kind looked like the contents of a greenhouse had completely rebelled. Thick vines had completely bashed through the storefront. It only took a few seconds for the culprits to exit the building again. But what the key bearers saw took them by great surprise.

Hordes of yellow and black Wheeflowers exited first. They bounced about and shook their petal arms as they formed a ring of defense. They were followed shortly after by a bizarre creature appeared to be the ring leader. It was green with leafy hands, feathery purple hair and a…duck bill? From the waist down looked like tree bark and it was directing the Dream Eaters away from the scene.

A very weird plant-like thing followed close behind it. Neither of them looked anything like Dream Eaters. The odd something had a huge face like a mutated venus flytrap with a tuft of reddish hair, four stubby roots for feet and long leafy arms and no eyes to speak of. Not only that, walking cacti marched out of the store with a huge haul of fancy boxes and the biggest jewels Rachel and Bryan had ever seen.

"Hey!" Bryan yelled sharply the second he realized they were stealing.

All the plants stopped when they heard the shout but only the tallest one with the duck face and funny hair looked around. He nearly dropped his bag of stolen loot when he saw them running towards him.

"G-yaaah! Who are you! What do you want! No, wait. Spike! Get them! My pretties, attack!"

The mutant flytrap thing snarled like an angry dog and ran at them, snapping its huge jaws. The Wheeflowers gracefully made their advance while the leader and the cacti made a retreat.

"Get back here!" Rachel yelled. She knocked a few Wheeflowers out of her way to stop the strange purple-headed thing with a bill.

"Stop them! Stop them!" The leader yelled in a panic. One of the cactuses dropped its spoils and started spinning like a little green tornado, shooting needles as it did so.

Rachel, not wishing to look like a pincushion immediately dropped to the ground to escape the barrage of prickers. Suddenly, as Bryan was pummeling the Dream Eaters and Rachel was about to get up and pursue the leader, a large plume of blue smoke appeared atop the robbed building.

"I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the machete that cuts through your criminal thicket! I am Darkwiiiing Duck!"

A short masked figure emerged from the smoke in a purple vest, wide hat and cape.

Sure enough, he was also some kind of anthromorphic duck, similar to Dr. Doppler and Captain Amelia but far less well-dressed. He jumped from the roof and held out some kind of crazy pistol kind of weapon. "Suck gas evil-doer!" He pulled the trigger to the nearest cacti. It was enveloped in a large puff of smoke and when the gas cleared the cactus had dropped its stolen goods and did a sort of odd itchy dance.

The leader stomped the ground like a toddler having a tantrum. "You always get in the way of everything! And now your new seedling sidekicks have pulverized my posies! You're not going to get away with this! I won't let you!"

"Sidekicks? Ha! Everyone knows Darkwing Duck can handle things on his own. But! Your days of crime are over, Bushroot! Drop those stolen stones and no one has to get pruned!"

The green creature apparently called Bushroot got a look of angry determination and with a mere dramatic lift of his arms the vines that had broken through the store wall started writhing like irritated pythons. "Get them!" He shouted.

The vines reached and twisted around for their quarry. The Wheeflowers jumped around, ready to attack. The flytrap creature called Spike snatched up a dropped bag of diamonds and ran off after its master.

"No criminal gets away that easily when Darkwing Duck is on the job! You'll never escape the long arm of the la-ah-ah-ahhhh!"

While being too busy dropping cheap cliché comic book lines, Darkwing didn't see the vine sneaking up on him until it wrapped around his ankle and started beating him back and forth on the pavement. Bryan came to the rescue, hacking and slashing and using Fire magic against the vines until they were too burned and torn apart to fight back. Darkwing was very dazed but Bryan deduced he'd be fine for a moment alone while he helped Rachel clear up the rest of the Wheeflowers.

"Are you okay?" Bryan asked the dazed duck, helping him hobble to his feet.

Darkwing shook the away the tizzy and looked around first for the escaped culprits. "I don't believe it! You let them get away! Why didn't you stop them!? I had everything under control until you guys showed up!"

"We were on the scene first…" Rachel said.

"Never mind! Don't you realize who that pilfering plant was?"

"No."

"That was none other than the bad-to-the-bone botanist, Bushroot! Once a simple scientist now criminal at large! And you two let him get away with all those stolen jewels!"

"Hey!" Bryan defended. "I was a bit more worried about those vines turning you into ground chuck! Maybe you didn't notice because you were eating pavement at the time."

"Well, I, gyhh! I had…fine. I guess I should thank you for that. But don't think that means I needed it! Professional crime fighters can get out of all sticky situations at all times."

"Uh-huh."

"What exactly does a plant thing need with all those jewels?"

"That's exactly what I'm trying to find out! Plants don't need jewels and gems to grow or commit crimes. He can't be working alone! He must be a part of the much more nefarious deed I suspect is at work and-hey! Why am I telling this to you guys?"

"Maybe we can help." Bryan offered. "We can fight and defeat those Dream Eaters. Maybe we help each other."

"Besides, you would know this city and its villains better than we ever could." Rachel added a bit of ego candy just in case.

"I suppose you did handle yourselves pretty well against those new flower monsters Bushroot was controlling. You may in fact have some invaluable skills, but first, the big question, what exactly are you?

"Uh, we're…humans?" Rachel said slowly. Great, if there were no humans in this place could that mean trouble for them?

"What's a human?" Darkwing asked. "Never seen anyone like you before. Last time I saw anybody kinda like you was some wacko called Comet Guy. Oh great, you guys from the planet Mertz too?"

"Uh, no. Never mind," Bryan said. "Can you tell us where we are?"

"You, my fine fellow are in the mighty metropolis of Saint Canard! A wonderful city with thriving businesses, peaceful people and incredibly affordable housing in most areas. But! For all its good points Saint Canard is a hot spot for the lowest fiends of the criminal element!"

"So this place has a big crime problem." Bryan said. "Doesn't anyone do anything about it?"

"Haven't you been paying attention?!_** I**_ Darkwing Duck am this city's noble defender! I alone smoke out villains from the underbelly of this town and bring all evil-doers to justice!

But as amazing a crime fighter I am, you guys might be useful in assisting me in taking down my most arch nemesises. The worst criminals this city has ever seen are on the move and I suspect they have pooled their resources and are working together. I've been on their trail for days but so far a meaningful pattern has eluded me to their end game. Normally I can thwart their nefarious deeds with ease and still get to bed at a reasonable hour. But lately they've been aided by those strange creatures that cannot be reasoned with. Those weird weapons of yours seem to do the trick. So, what'd'ya say? Care to go down in history as the sidekicks of the incredible Darkwing Duck?"


	11. St Canard: Getting The Scoop

"So what other kinds of problems have happened that make you think Bushroots' crime was connected?" Bryan asked. They'd been scouring the city fighting off Dream Eaters and looking for clues.

"Several things." Darkwing answered, slinking amongst the shadows. "For instance, J. Gander Hooter, the head agent of the top secret organization S.H.U.S.H-."

"Shush?"

"Yes, has informed me that their criminal counterpart organization, F.O.W.L -."

"Foul?"

"Fiendish Organization for World Larceny, has been stirring up something sinister by way of sleazy agent Steelbeak. Money and assets are being extorted from all over the world, seemingly to fund something Steelbeak has been put in charge of. While on his trail, other deeds of the most criminal nature have been occurring."

They had to pause the explanation to fight off a group of new serpentine Nightmares. The White Snake was very large with traits of a cobra and a rattlesnake. Its hood started just behind its eyes and went down about a third of its body with a thick rattle on the end of its tail. They were dark purple with white underbellies as well as the scales under their hoods. Worse yet, they had the power of lightning. They found that out the hard way when they discovered what happens when a group of White Snakes gather close and rattle their tails hard. Some areas on their person would sting for quite a while.

"This has not been Bushroots' first felony." Darkwing continued once the Nightmares had been vanquished. "Today marked his third jewelry story heist and but a few days ago he and his platoon of pilfering plants made off with every precious stone in the natural history museum!"

"But you have no idea what he needs all that ice for?" Bryan asked.

"Well I can't imagine it's because he's got a new high-end girlfriend that takes a lot of effort to impress."

"So what does that have to do with that Steelbeak guy and secret organization you mentioned before?" Rachel asked.

Her question was answered after getting swooped on by a flock of Peepsta Hoos and Kamory Bats in an alleyway.

"The F.O.W.L activity began just a short while before Bushroot began his string of robberies." Darkwing certainly had no problems giving long explanations since they were keeping the focus on himself. "I may not have suspected the two had anything to do with one another until a third bout of suspicious activity came to my attention."

"Which was?"

"An old friend of mine, Neptunia, sent me a message informing me of sightings of known criminal, Liquidator and his own escort of those Nightmares as you call them, in the river surrounding Saint Canard. Liquidator's minions would frighten away all finned witnesses from an area and just mere hours after some strange device was built on the briny bottom. I suspect-."

"Can we please take a break first!" Bryan dropped on a crate outside a store front. "We've been doing nothing but walk, fight and talk for what has to have been hours. Can't you catch us up somewhere that's got a couch?"

"Hmmmm, I suppose it has been a long night. Alright. I've got a place where you can stay and we'll pick this up first thing tomorrow. But you have to promise never to tell a soul where my secret hideout is! I am trusting you with the confines of my superhero sanctuary. And whatever you do-do NOT touch any buttons, dials, levers or switches!"


	12. St Canard: Crime Fighting

"I thought I told you not to touch anything!"

By what was truly an honest mistake Bryan had brushed against a small statue that sent both he had his sister spinning and traveling lightning fast through a secret tunnel system only to be ejected (not at all gracefully) from armchairs in an ordinary living room.

"Let's not do that again." Rachel said, feeling very motion sick.

"Gee, gear! Who are they?"

"Oh crap, so sorry for disturbing-we didn't realize…" Bryan cut his apology short. Another duck character, a child this time stood on the back of a couch looking down on them from their splatted positions on the floor. But then he realized he recognized the voice that spoke first. It came from an adult in a terrible looking sweater. He was scowling at them, hands on hips. Even without the mask and hat, that face and voice was unmistakable. "Darkwing?"

"Yeah, yeah yeah, so now you know who I am without the mask. You just be sure not to say anything to anybody!"

"_Dad_! C'mon! Don't leave me in suspense, who are they and how come they know your secret identity?"

"Dad?" Bryan asked.

Darkwing, in the daytime known as Drake Mallard didn't really care for telling personal details but Gosalyn, his daughter very quickly (and excitedly to the point of wondering how she didn't hyperventilate before she was done) told the _entire_ story of how Darkwing Duck had rescued her from super villain Taurus Baulba and adopted her shortly after. The story included a lot of self ego-fluffing.

And of course after learning they'd been volunteered as sidekicks to fight the Nightmares while Darkwing solved the mystery of the string of crimes, she wanted to know all about who they were, what they were and how they could fight the strange monsters. And she was very pushy for details. Much like Bambi had wanted to learn the secrets of magic and fighting bad guys, Gosalyn wanted to know the same. The kid had only one speed, extreme-hyper.

Of course, as one might expect, Drake would have none of it. He insisted fighting such unreasonable creatures was far too dangerous for anyone but a professional and experienced superhero. Gosalyn muttered something about being able to take care of herself and never getting to have any fun but didn't argue. She would have to get ready for school soon while he and the key bearers planned the next move for getting a step ahead of the growing crime spree. Again, she wasn't happy with it. School was lame. Thwarting villains was far more exciting.

"What's with all the voices? Gosalyn watchin' T.V. before school again?" A tall duck entered the room. "Oh! Gosh, didn't realize we were having guests this early."

Rachel and Bryan introduced themselves and Drake in turn introduced Darkwing Duck's trusty sidekick, Launchpad McQuack, loyal friend and aviator of the crime chasing plane, the ThunderQuack. Launchpad was surprised and impressed that Drake would let two new people know so much about his secret identity, especially after knowing them for just a day. But Drake insisted they were trustworthy and were useful to his crime fighting endeavor as they could defeat Dream Eaters where everyone else had failed.

"But _daaaaad_!" Gosyaln whined when Drake tossed her-her backpack and directed that she go wait with their neighbor boy and her best friend, Honker, by the bus stop. "How can you expect me to go to school and learn boring stuff when this could be a major break in your case?"

"Gosalyn, we've been through this before-."

"I know! Maybe a gas tank in the cafeteria blew up and school got canceled. I'll check!" Gosalyn slid right passed him and pounced on the television remote to check the news.

A dog-like news reporter with blond hair and a droning voice was announcing a break in at the first national bank. Details would come in as investigations continued. You would have thought Drake was a child given the world's largest candy bar. He dramatically announced that such an investigation was just the job for spectacular superhero and defender of justice, Darkwing Duck!

"But how are we all going to get there?" Launchpad asked. "I don't think all of us can squeeze onto the Ratcatcher, even with the sidecar. I might be wrong but it would be a tight fit."

"What's the 'ratcatcher'?" Rachel asked.

"It's Darkwing's motorbike." Launchpad explained. "It makes gettin' 'round the city real quick and easy."

"We can keep up." Bryan promised.

"Cool!" Gosalyn exclaimed. "Do you guys have super speed powers too?"

"Better." Bryan said. He jumped and caught himself in flight. Since this was a dream world and no one they met would remember them if they met in the real world he felt no need to keep it a secret.

"Gee gear! You guys can fly! That is so cool! You got to teach me how you do that."

"Uh,"

"Well, like magicians and superheroes we never reveal our secrets." Rachel said quickly.

Launchpad thought it was amazing but Drake was convinced they had some kind of hover technology in their shoes. With a fair but of nudging he finally got his daughter out the door, promising he'd be calling the school to make sure she didn't skip while trying to 'help'. When they heard the bus come up then pull away, Drake and Launchpad jumped into a pair of identical armchairs. Neither Rachel or Bryan wanted to go through that weird ride again to the secret hideout but that was where the Ratcatcher had been parked last.

* * *

><p>The bank had been broken into in the early hours of the morning. No one had been seen entering or exiting. None of the security tapes showed anything. They couldn't. Some kind of interference had ruined the footage. The bank director shared a puzzling report when Darkwing questioned him about the break in.<p>

The vault was left fully intact and still locked. Not because the culprit had skillfully gotten in and own without tripping any alarms, but the vault had not been broken into at all. Not so much as a penny had been taken from the money room. Darkwing went on a long spout of theories as to why a bank robber wouldn't rob a bank of what most people would be after. It took a minute to get his attention long enough for the director to explain a robbery had taken place. The secure room of safety deposit boxes had multiple boxes broken into. Only there was a strange twist. The entire room had been strongly magnetized. That was how the metal box doors had all managed to come open without tripping any alarms. Several boxes had been left open. Darkwing and the key bearers took a look in all the opened boxes. Some had nothing left inside. Others had some trinkets or valuables left behind, some even had items that most wouldn't have hesitated to snatch. But the room hadn't lost its magnetic charge yet so touching the boxes yielded some pretty nasty and painful shocks for the three of them, as well as having to peel off any metal gear they were wearing.

"Only one devious criminal could have pulled off this heist!" Darkwing announced. "My long-time arch-nemesis Megavolt! Only he has the electric power to have magnetized an entire room for so long."

"What were in those boxes that were robbed?" Rachel asked the director.

"Well, I really shouldn't say," The director said. He was a stout, dog-like man in a gray suit. "People put their valuables in our vaults for privacy, confidentiality as well as security." He nervously dabbed sweat off his brow with a handkerchief at the thought of failing the third point.

"You don't need to tell us who it belonged to; just some of the things you know were in them." She added.

"Well…" He said thoughtfully. "Some of our patrons are the wealthy keeping heirlooms and deeds and things safe. Most people leave important papers and things. There may have been some miscellaneous equipment from a few eccentric scientists from a few years ago, but that was before I was director. I only know because the previous director said something about being afraid it might blow of the facility or something" He couldn't say much beyond that.

"So we have a good idea who did it but we don't know what they were after." Bryan confirmed as they left.

"True." Darkwing confirmed. "So far corruptive crimes committed within the same week by the maniacal Megavolt, botanical Bushroot and sinister Steelbeak. This has to be a criminal ring of the most nefarious nature. We just have to figure out what they're up to. Even from my vast banks of knowledge of the worst evil-doers this city has ever seen, I cannot recall Steelbeak or other agents of F.O.W.L teaming up with other villains."

"D-douba-ya! D-douba-ya!" Launchpad called in a panic as he sprinted to the entrance of the bank as they exited.

"What is it, L.P?"

Launchpad skidded to a stop and panted hard before answering. "The crime detector on the Ratcatcher is goin' crazy! There's a break in happenin' just down town!"

"What are we waiting for! Time to dispense some justice!"


	13. St Canard: Megavolt and Surprises

From the outside the large factory building did not suggest anything was going on. Except as they got closer they could see erratic flashes of light coming from the inside. Getting even closer they could hear the unmistakable crackling and popping of electricity. Darkwing screeched the Ratcatcher to a stop and jumped off. Launchpad unfolded himself from the sidecar. Rachel and Bryan were flying only a few yards behind.

"Just as I suspected! This has to be the work of Megavolt! Two devious crimes in the same day? The criminal element is getting bolder all the time. But! They cannot change their dastardly ways enough to be too much for Darkwing Duck! You two go around the back. L.P., with me! C'mon gang, let's get dangerous!"

"Get the feeling he's just a little a bit full of himself?" Rachel said once they turned the corner of the building.

"He just takes his job really seriously." Bryan said, but his tone and expression agreed completely. Still, at least he was the good guy. Despite some ego issues Bryan could tell Darkwing truly believed in justice and fighting crime for the greater good.

Tapping a back entrance with his Keyblade the latch snapped and the door gently swung open. The back hallways of the factory were empty. While walking, they discovered the loading docks, one of which had a large hole in it. Something larger than a loading truck had smashed its way through. Rachel and Bryan followed the path created by too-big something through the factory storage floor. Anything that had been in the way had been squashed or mangled in some way. At least that made it easy to figure out where it had gone.

Rows and rows of shelving units filled the storage floor where the trail came to a stop. The huge thing was a semi-like truck only the trailer was shaped like a gigantic battery. Strange robotic-ish machines with spark plug faces marched back and forth between the shelves and the truck, loading the biggest boxes as they went. They hid behind some boxes and observed for a moment. The robots appeared to be just that. They couldn't see the Nightmare insignia anywhere on them. The robots all had power cells on their backs and cores that sparked with electricity. Tall Dream Eaters with long necks paced up and down the rows.

A staircase lead up to a series of catwalks to the upper levels. Someone, or something in yellow was wringing its hands maniacally as it watched the robbery in progress. It looked about the same height as Darkwing but was more like a mouse with blue goggles and a large power cell strapped to its back.

"Eh-he-he-ha-ha-ha! Soon! So very soon my electric lovelies. Our plan is nearing completion. With all these generators, oh the power there will be! Power! Power! Endless power! Get only the biggest and the best my minions! Only the strongest will do the job."

"Job?" Rachel mouthed to her brother.

Bryan shrugged. "Must be a bigger scheme at work." He whispered. "Especially if he meant 'our' like that included other people, not just him and his minions."

"Also confirming Darkwing's theory of several villains working together." She whispered back.

The rat character, whom the siblings correctly assumed was Megavolt, skipped joyously across the catwalks. He cackled at the smoothness of his heist. That was until a large plume of blue smoke appeared on the other side of the catwalk.

"I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the zit that ruins your school picture! I am Darkwiiiing Duck!" Darkwing emerged from the smoke, cape held wide in a sinister pose.

"Errrrgh! Why do you always have to show up to ruin a perfectly good crime! Can't you just mind your own business and stay out of our way!"

"Aha! With an unsuspecting slip of the sparked tongue you have just given away the fact that you are in fact not working alone!"

"Ghhhh! Curse you Darkwing Duck!"

Rachel and Bryan looked at each other.

"You'll tell me if I ever start talking like that, right?" Bryan said to her.

"I'll thwack ya every time you do if it helps."

"Anything not to sound like I fell out of the pages of a cheap comic book."

"There's nothing you can do this time, Dipwing! My monsters will fry you to a crisp! And there's nothing you can do about it! HahaHAAhahaa! No one can defeat my monsters! Attack!"

"Guess that's our cue." Rachel said.

With a jump, half-twist and flying several yards, the two summoned their Keyblade and stood ready to fight the Thunderaffes. Megavolt was curious as to who Darkwing's peculiarly dressed new sidekicks were but also knew if he didn't make a strong offensive lickidy-split the entire heist may be in vain. Megavolt lifted his hands high above his head and sparks danced wildly around them. In addition to the four Thunderaffes, stomping their hooves and ready for a fight, six White Snakes appeared in a jolt of lightning.

Megavolt laughed maniacally and made a break for the big truck. His troop of robots had finished carting the biggest generators and were closing the door to the cargo van.

"Oh no you don't!" Darkwing yelled. He brandished his strange pistol and ran after them. But the White Snakes spread their large hoods menacingly, blocking the way.

Megavolt was already on the way in the van, revved it up and was made off like a bandit (which was really what was happening but when you've got a good phrase you might as well use it). The robots had also stayed behind and formed a blockade. With a few good superhero kicks and maneuvers on Darkwing's part (and Launchpad was dropping things on them from above on the catwalks) the robots broke apart pretty easily. The Dream Eaters, were of course an entirely different story.

* * *

><p>"Oh, I hurt. I really hurt." Rachel lay back on a simple couch at Darkwing's hideout.<p>

The fight had been far from a picnic. Thunderaffes had a tendency to charge. The charge wasn't hard to jump out of the way of since they only ran in straight lines, but that was of course if you didn't have a snake in your face so you could see where you needed to move. The White Snake was by far the worst Nightmare they had come across. It was big, strong and had a multitude of ways to fight, none of them at all fun. The only warning it gave was the rattling of its tail while charging an electric attack. They snapped with their fangs, swept the ground to trip them up with their tails and getting knocked with their rattle was like getting hit with a club with ridges like a pinecone. Not only that, and worst of all, their hoods could double as wings and they could fly short distances to evade attacks.

Bryan felt the same. For being in a dream the bruises sure felt real. Darkwing claimed that pain was just part of the job but they both saw the beating he took in the fight and knew he wasn't feeling his best either. Gosalyn was out of school and wanted to know everything that had happened and what they'd found out. Darkwing wove a long epic of the day's events and paced around the hideout talking mostly to himself different theories about what F.O.W.L resources, giant gems and lots of big generators and the so-far three criminals had in common and what they could be doing.

Bryan, not sure what else to do, sat cross-legged on the floor and poured out his side pouch of all the crystal shards he'd found. There was quite a pile now. Each Dream Eater dropped its own particular shard of shape and color. Each piece even had its own essence. Just by hovering a hand over a shard Bryan could swear he could feel emotions from it, radiating like heat.

"G'me your pouch for a second."

Rachel undid the buckle on her bag belt and slid it over to him. She didn't even ask what he wanted it for. Nor did she when he poured out her stash too and added it to his. Rachel was the one with the compulsion to organize stuff but Bryan needed to kill time while Darkwing was working on the 'plan'. To him it was like sorting the colors of M&Ms when you get bored.

"Gee gear! Look at all this stuff!" Gosalyn exclaimed when she saw the glittering pile of crystals. Immediately she pounced on the pile and started touching and picking up everyone one of them. "You guys could be seriously rich with these!" She continued picking through all the different crystals, messing up Bryan's piles.

"Hey!" He swatted a shard out of her hand. "I was doing something with those. You go away or just sit back and watch."

Gosalyn put her hands on her hips and scowled. "What's the big idea? Haven't you ever heard of _sharing_?"

"Haven't you ever heard of not touching what doesn't belong to you without permission?" He pulled a face, which she returned but didn't argue. She sat on the edge of the crystal pile and watched him sort the pieces again.

Bryan wasn't even sure exactly what he was doing with the shards. He was just tired of listening to Darkwing's theories and planning, which, in his opinion was about eighty percent babble. He fiddled for several minutes, not thinking much about what Rachel thought of Darkwing's rant. He wasn't really listening. He heard Launchpad or Rachel make a suggestion once and a while but was focused more on shuffling his shards around. Gosalyn would point at a piece or offer one to him. She didn't know what his end game was, but then again neither did he. For some reason a cluster of pieces felt right together. He didn't know why he thought that but the pieces in his created pile gave him the feeling they should be together. Bryan put a few more similar shards into the stack and the feeling became stronger. This was a powerful combination. But he didn't know how he knew that. Certainly would be unlikely to put that same combination together again once he put them away but it had been fun while it-whoa!

Each crystal lit up from the inside and sparkled with different colored lights. The pile lit up as a whole until it was too bright to see the individual pieces. Startled, he and Gosalyn jumped back away from the pile. The light got the attention of everyone. But as soon as it flared up it was over. And something new was left behind.

A huge snake lay curled up on its own coils on the floor. It appeared to be asleep. Gosalyn tip-toed closer then thought better of it. She'd seen a White Snake before and knew how unpleasant they were. Rachel and Bryan of course knew that moreso. Rachel had her Keyblade and Darkwing had one of his gadgets in hand, ready to take it out if it got nasty. But the snake's only movement came from its breathing as it snoozed. Bryan inched closer, his Keyblade also in hand. It was a Dream Eater all right but it looked different. Instead of dark purple its body it was pale yellow. Instead of its white hood and underbelly it was light sea green (which didn't make a lot of sense for a _White_ Snake to not actually be white). The symbol on its head was different too. Even its presence wasn't menacing like the others.

Tentatively Bryan gave it a few prods. A shiver went down all its coils and it opened its eyes slowly. It looked like a child woken up from a long nap. The Dream Eater locked eyes with him and didn't look away.

"Step away!" Darkwing declared. "I'll take care of this slinking serpent. This reckless reptile won't know what-."

"Just a second." Bryan held out a hand to stop him. Bryan knelt down cautiously in front of the big snake. Still it only stared at him. So he lowered his Keyblade and reached out his hand. The White Snake twitched the end of its snout and flicked out its forked tongue, gently brushing the tip against his palm. It cocked its head like a confused pigeon and began to undo its tightly wrapped coils. It raised its head and lifted its hood a little, still looking at Bryan. Yet nothing about its posture or actions were at all threatening. Like a dog wanting the snake put the end of its nose in Bryan's palm.

"Rachel," Bryan said slowly, an impossible idea forming in his mind. "I think this is one of those Spirits Master talked about."


	14. St Canard: First Spirits

Everyone was a bit nervous with the giant serpent moving along its merry way around the base but it never caused any trouble. It curiously poked its nose into everything but there was nothing aggressive about its behavior. In fact, when it wasn't sniffing in pockets or poking around cabinets it followed Bryan like a baby duck. Bryan patted and rubbed its head. That only encouraged friendly nudges from it.

"You're not going to hurt anybody are you." Rachel said. She too patted its head and the big snake snuggled against her too.

"Well it sure seems friendly enough." Launchpad said. "Not like those ones back at the factory." He wasn't scared, per say of it but still wary.

"This is so cool!" Gosalyn said. She jumped on its back and walked up its coils to its head. The White Snake didn't protest at all. Quite the contrary it actually lowered its head and opened its hood, giving her a wider surface to stand on. "Higher!" Raised itself up and she used its long back as a slide. The snake let her do that several times before tiring of the game and sticking close to Bryan.

From then on it only obeyed his command unless ordered to do otherwise.

"I have so got to try this!" Rachel slid to the floor where the crystal shards still lay.

"A most interesting phenomenon." Darkwing said thoughtfully. "This must be carefully observed so that I may better understand how tiny, insignificant pieces of fallen monsters can create an ally." He rapidly gathered several bits of odd equipment and sat close, carefully watching and monitoring the equipment.

Rachel fiddled with the pieces for some time. She looked them all over carefully shuffling through them like she were putting together a very complicated puzzle. Launchpad looked over her shoulder but didn't say anything. Bryan respectfully kept his distance and Gosalyn kept trying to get the Spirit to play with her or at least do something cool. Rachel had stopped listening to Darkwing's mutterings as he watched. Sounded like was trying to sound smart as he watched her work and worked out theory after ridiculous theory as to how it was possible. She wanted to point out she and Bryan had seen all sorts of impossible things, including talking superhero ducks that ride motorcycles and have secret lairs in bridge towers.

"Find anything yet?" Bryan asked.

"I think I'm on to something. These few here I know are all from the same kind of Dream Eater. These," Rachel gestured to some that he had collected. "Also feel like they should be together. And when you put some of these to each pile something just feels right about it. But I still think something's missing from this one. That might change when we get more."

Finally after a bit more shuffling Rachel found a combination that felt right for her. The second she decided that the pieces were perfect, they glowed just like her brothers' had. When the light faded another huge Spirt took the place of a pile of crystals. Only this time it was a beautiful unicorn, like the ones she'd encountered in the Phoenix Forest. The UniGlow lay on its side, head hung down and ears laid back peacefully as it dozed. Only when Rachel gave it a nudge did it wake up. They locked eyes for a moment then the Spirit stood up. It was much prettier than its Nightmare counterparts by a long shot. A Nightmare UniGlow was mostly black and dark browns with contrasting markings of dark magenta. But the Spirit was a lovely teal with a turquoise mane, pink stockings on its front legs and blaze on its face and golden cloven hooves.

Darkwing's machinery had gone crazy when the magic happened. It spewed out miles of graphs and charts and readings. He muttered and exclaimed all sorts of big scientific sounding words but was ultimately saying nothing. His confidence would suggest he understood the phenomena as easily as understanding why a red sock in the whites is a bad idea. But neither Rachel or Bryan were fooled. He didn't have a clue how what had just happened was possible. But everyone was in agreement that if the Spirits were supposed to be able to combat Nightmares they would be invaluable in a fight.

Rachel and Bryan were understandably excited about the discovery but couldn't try to make any more. They'd expended most of their collected shards. But from now on they would certainly start hoarding them like how a crow gathers shinies. The UniGlow stood face to snout with Rachel, nickering softly and asking for pets.

"She's beautiful," Rachel breathed, gently touching the curved horn with her fingertips. The Spirit held its head a little higher with an air of dignity. "And a diva by the look of it."

"Gee gear! This is way too cool!" Gosalyn climbed up on the back of the couch and jumped onto the UniGlow's back, hoping to engage it like the White Snake. The Spirit, however was having none of it. It stomped around, twisted its head around as far as it could and nickered at her, very annoyed. This Dream Eater had a very different personality than serpentine counterpart. Gosalyn immediately jumped off. "Easy, easy. What's wrong with it?"

The unicorn marched over to Rachel's side and tossed its head like had been insulted and expected Rachel to do something about it. The key bearer rubbed the UniGlow's muzzle and it was comforted.

"You've got the personality of a true diva, don't you? No one's gonna make you do anything you don't want, are they?" Incredible. Rachel laughed quietly to herself. She'd thought to herself a long time ago how every little girl dreamed of being a magical mermaid, a fairy princess or having her own pet unicorn. Now, at a point in her life where most others would have stopped dreaming, she finally had all three.

The UniGlow shook its mane and leaned in for another pat.

"Hmmmm, what am I going to call you?"

"What do you mean?" Bryan asked. "It's not like it's a pet horsey or anything."

"I know that. But I expect they'll be with us a while so it just makes sense to give it a name." The Spirt looked at her with unmistakable eagerness. It were certainly intelligent enough to understand what she was saying. Rachel looked her over again. "I think I'll call you…Fantasia."

"After the last world?" Bryan asked. "_Really_?"

"What's wrong with that? That's where I first saw one of these. And the word just sounds so magical, like the UniGlow. Fantasia, like _fantasy_. What are you going to call him?" Rachel gestured to the serpent.

The White Snake looked at Bryan from its curled up position at his feet like a puppy expecting to be let out. It flicked its tongue at him in a friendly way.

"I'll have to think about it." 


	15. St Canard: Quackerjack

The next night the clan of crime fighters and their creature companions were called to calm some calamity across town in every toy store and hardware store and factory over a span of several blocks. Fantasia and Bryan's White Snake came along too. They proved to pack an incredible punch in a fight.

The first burglary they were aware of had already taken place by the time they got there. It was a second hand computer store. All the chips, wires, cables and hard drives had been taken. Monitors had been stripped to bare skeletons. Interesting a thief would only take the inner workings instead of the entire thing. Using or selling a whole tower would make more money and be more useful than just a memory card. Darkwing looked for clues while Rachel and Bryan kept watch. After a while of looking over every square inch of the store with a huge magnifying glass he announced with a loud 'A-ha!' he'd found something useful.

Half crushed over a fallen box was an evil looking robotic teddy bear still trying to march toward some kind of unknown goal. Next to it was a dropped sack of memory chips.

"There is only one crooked clown criminal enough to use playthings to plunder and pilfer! The infamous Quackerjack!"

"He commits crimes with toys?" Bryan asked with a raised eyebrow. A few Kamory Bats had swarmed them in the adjoining alleyway to the store but otherwise the nearby Dream Eaters weren't apart of the robbery.

"They're no ordinary toys. You wouldn't want any child anywhere near the gadgets and gizmos Quackerjack thinks are funny."

It was then Launchpad rode up in the Ratcatcher to inform them that the crime detector had picked up another burglary in progress. He and Darkwing switched places from driver to passenger in the side car and took off. Rachel jumped on Fantasia's back and they galloped after the motorbike. The ride was interesting to say the least. Rachel had never been on a horse before and riding bareback at a full gallop was, as one might imagine, a little freaky. But at the same time she could sense somehow that her Spirit, whether by skill or magic would never let her fall off. Bryan flew after them, as did the White Snake. Bryan had seen the Nightmare snakes fly a bit the other night but his Spirit was really flying. With its hood spread wide it used it like wings, flapping like an ocean ray. The hood did make for great wings, it did take up a good third of the Spirit's body after all. The White Snake didn't go up any higher than he could fly. Whether it could or wouldn't, there was no way to tell. When Bryan saw this he considered getting on its back and riding it. Meh, maybe later.

The next heist took place at a hardware store. This time, they caught the robbery in progress. A demented looking character in a colorful jesters cap was cackling with glee and riding around the store aisles on roller skates as action figures with skull and crossbones painted on their helmets gathered what they needed and the devilish teddy bears marched out with the goods. Gutters were taken. So were mailboxes. Power tools were scooped up. Kitchen devices were stripped of their gears and screws, as were push-mowers and weed whackers.

"I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the toy kit that's missing instructions! I am Darkwiiing Duck!"

Quackerjack skidded to a stop on his skates. "Oh! Oh! Oh! Why do you always gotta come in and spoil all my fun! This was a real party until you showed up!"

He stomped his feet in an irritated tantrum but forgot he was still on skates. Quackerjack lost his footing and started wheeling around out of control. Darkwing jumped in the center of an aisle, posing like a traffic cop commanding on comers to stop. Only the jitter-brained jester was too out of control even if he wanted to obey. The two clashed and tumbled into a shelf and it crashed on top of them. When they emerged again, Quackerjack ran away and somehow Darkwing was somehow wearing the skates.

"Now look what you did! This was a great heist until you showed up!"

"You'll never get away with this, Quackerjack! Suck gas, evil doer!" Darkwing brandished his gas gun but his loony target ducked behind a gathering of his own toy minions. Since they didn't need to breathe they weren't affected.

"Is that the best you got? Now it's mine turn to turn up the fun!"

From seemingly out of nowhere huge wind-up teeth clickity-clacked toward them, snapping their plastic jaws like hunting dogs. But they weren't just wind-up toys. They followed like they could see if anyone moved. However it only took one good smash to knock out their teeth and snap off their springs. But it was just enough of a distraction to allow Quackerjack and his toys to finish their plundering and make their getaway. At least they tried. The White Snake was coiled up like a loaded spring in front of the hole in the wall they had come in through. Its hood was spread wide and shook its rattle menacingly. Fantasia was right beside it, head low and ears folded back. Without any regard for life and limb on of the action figures kept right on marching to escape, only to be smashed to tinkers under her hoof.

"So that's the way you wanna play?" Quackerjack growled and rolled up his puffy sleeves. "Well two can play at that game!" He lifted his hands in the air much like how Megavolt had and new Dream Eaters appeared in the store at his command. Among them were the dippy Ducky Goose, seemingly innocent Me Me Bunny and the crazed Jestabocky, all new Nightmares. "It's PLAY TIME!"

The key bearers had no choice but to take care of the Dream Eaters since they were the only ones who could. Darkwing made off after Quackerjack as he and his toys made out through the hole now unguarded by the distracted Spirits. He didn't get far. Quackerjack dropped a bag of marbles with his face painted on them and Darkwing couldn't even drop a snappy hero one-liner before he stepped on them and started slipping. By the time he got control over himself and the siblings had cleared out the worst of the Nightmares, Quackerjack had vanished.

"Where'd he go! Let me at him!" Darkwing cried. "Quick! Check outside, he couldn't have gotten far!"

Rachel was about to make good on the suggestion when Fantasia urgently nudged her in the arm. "What is it, girl?"

The UniGlow turned and jerked its head in the direction she wanted Rachel to look. The White Snake was approaching with a very proud air to its posture. It had something in its mouth.

"Bryan."

"What?" He called from just outside the door.

"Get back in here."

"Why? What's wrong?"

"Your snake found something."

When he came inside the Spirit presented itself to him like a dog that had returned with a Frisbee. Held firmly between its teeth was one of Quackerjacks action figures. It was still trying to march away as though nothing happened.

"Darkwing," Bryan said. "We might be on to something."

They took the toy outside to show Darkwing.

"Aha! This fiendish figure could be just the thing we need to find Quackerjack! It's sure to lead us right to that demented duck, or even better! The villains' secret hide out!"

The Spirit put down the toy and right away it began to march through the break in hole in the wall. It had a brisk stride for a toy but not by any means was it hard to follow. Several blocks away the figurine rounded a corner and circled a machine factory until it found a broken wall and marched right in. The bricks of the wall had teeth marks in it. Only then did the siblings realize how fortunate they had been those wind-up jaws never had a chance to get close enough to bite them.

Quackerjack already had a good head start so the trio plus Spirits had to move fast. Darkwing announced that the best place to make his trademark entrance was from high above so he split off early. Rachel and Bryan split up on the ground floor in an attempt to prevent escape.

"Ok, you go around to the left with your horse, White and I will-."

"Who?"

"I decided I'm just gonna call it White."

"You're going to name your White Snake…_White_?"

"It really doesn't matter to me. Besides, he doesn't care."

"Your lack of originality saddens me."

"Will you just get goin'!"


	16. St Canard: New Spirit New Lead

The factory had been pilfered down to the last washer. Because of an act of pure clumsiness Darkwing had alerted the fiendish felon and thus foiled the element of surprise. The kooky jester was ready with an even greater onslaught of keep-out-of-reach-of-children toys. Where exactly he picked them up on his way from one burglary to the next was anyone's guess. The wind-up teeth had fangs and the marbles popped like firecrackers. And, of course, the life of the party was the droves of Nightmares he called in to join the 'fun'. Majik Lapins joined their Me Me Bunny cousins, as the Drak Quacks paired with the Ducky Goose. Their numbers were nothing to laugh at either. Quackerjack was rolling all over the floor laughing when the heroes got a look at how many Jestabockys he'd invited to 'liven things up'. By the time the platoon of Nightmares was under control, Quackerjack had long since made his escape. But the frustration of losing their quarry yet again was lessened do to a peculiar discovery.

Quackerjack or one of his toys had dropped a blueprint of some kind. Apparently he needed it as a reference so he didn't just swipe a bunch of things he didn't need. Back at the hideout the heroes unrolled it to see what kind of devious scheme the villains were planning. Looking at the rolled up paper wouldn't suggest there was much to it. But unrolling it completely required two tables, a T.V. tray and White bent down with his hood spread wide, even then a few inches draped over each end.

"Don't people usually make several of these?" Bryan asked to no one. It was just ridiculous a blueprint was longer than his Dream Eater.

"I don't know much about architecture but I think so." Launchpad said.

"This is the breakthrough I've been waiting for!" Darkwing announced. "This must be the villains end game! All these horrendous heists have been preparation for this constructive conundrum."

"Yeah but, uh, what's it supposed t' be D-douba-ya?"

"Isn't it obvious Launchpad? It's diabolical device for dastardly deeds."

"I think he's asking what it does." Rachel said.

"I'll just have to study this closer, the great Darkwing Duck can unravel any mystery."

White looked up at Bryan like he was asking if he could move. Bryan gave him the ok, no sense making it stay there when there was no way of knowing how long it would take Darkwing to 'unravel the mystery'. And he seemed pretty confident that he didn't need help. While he muttered and looked over every inch of the blueprints, Rachel poured out all their crystals again. She sorted out the shards in the pile she had begun earlier and picked through the rest, feeling for a perfect match. Launchpad was watching over her shoulder.

"So whatcha think you're gonna make this time?"

"I don't think there is a way to tell what makes what." Rachel answered. She tossed a rejected shard aside. Nothing about it felt like it would work with what she had. "I would have thought using a lot of shards I knew came from the UniGlows I ran into the last place I was at would be enough to make a Spirit. But I added a few shards from Nightmares I found here then it worked and here she is."

Fantasia walked over, head held high once she caught wind of people talking about her. Launchpad gave her a pat on the muzzle while Rachel continued sorting. Bryan had gone back to helping Darkwing with the blueprint. The sooner they could find an answer to what this was or what it could be used for the sooner the thoughtful muttering would stop.

"The mumbling is starting to drive me crazy." Bryan had said in a low voice to his sister.

"What? You can't ignore it?"

"I've tried but it's like a low buzz in my ears."

"Now you know how I feel about your tapping. Wait a minute-Incoming!"

Rachel leapt to her feet and stood back. She'd slipped the final shard into place and the entire pile started glowing. A moment later another large Spirt had taken its place. It floated in mid-air, fins and head drooped down as it dozed. Bryan made an 'eghh' noise. Yes, the Frozluga was now going to be on their side but he still associated them with his least favorite experiences in the Ice Fields.

Instead of a dark gray, the Spirit was a pleasant sky blue and powder blue underbelly separated by a strip of fuchsia that started at its nose and went almost all the way down its body. Around its neck (or at least where you might imagine a 'neck' might be on a whale), base of its fin and fluke were beautiful bands and collars studded with jewels. Instead of the dark granite like the Nightmares, this ones' were copper-gold. It also had a jewel-studded piece on its forehead where its long purple plume hung limply by its side. Rachel gave it a nudge, and like the others, that was all it took to wake it up. Its large round eyes opened slowly. Its plume perked up like the feathers of a bird and it rose up higher in the air.

Immediately its eyes sparkled like a child invited to a birthday party. It made a sharp whistle then high-pitched chitters. Rachel rubbed its melon and immediately it was love. The Frozluga nuzzled into her then swam around the room with joy. When it came around again it reared up and clapped its flippers together with joy, the metal scythe coverings clacked as it did so.

"Hey, pretty!" Rachel said when the whale came around again and wanted another snuggle. "No question, I'm going to call you Jewel. Just look at those lovely gems and that sparkling personality."

"I got it!" Darkwing cried.

"You're talking about the blueprint? I just made a beautiful new Dream Eater!"

"Yeah, yeah, good for you. I've just made a huge break in this case!"

"I knew you'd find the answer sooner or later, D-doubba-ya."

"You've figured out what it is?" Bryan asked.

"No, but just as good. While only the true criminal mind could conceive such a diabolical device, they forget about Darkwing Duck's brilliant powers of deduction!"

"Which unveiled _what_ exactly?" Rachel said, still snuggling her new Dream Eater and trying to make sure Fantasia played nice now that she had to share the attention.

"Isn't it obvious? While we may not know what it is or what it does, there is a factoid that narrows down the location of the den of dastardly deeds. This! This device is simply too large for any house, factory, warehouse, marina, greenhouse, barge or recording studio."

"So what does that leave, D-doubba-ya? That doesn't leave many places. I s'pose the sewers might be big enough. I know! What about airport runways?"

"Honestly, L.P. Crooks keep their criminal convoys a secret and out of the way of the public. What they need is a place of considerable size where no one would go. And I know exactly the place! The Saint Canard football stadium!"

* * *

><p>"Wow, he was right." Bryan said, frankly a bit surprised and impressed with Darkwing's logic and that it had in fact been right on the nose.<p>

Launchpad had landed the Thunderquack on the outer edges of the huge parking lot so they could observe from a distance for a bit. Across the sea of asphalt thick bands of cables were laid out and slipped down manholes into the sewers. Since it was a very public spot there were a lot of places for the cables to go. The football stadium (even though neither Rachel or Bryan knew what football was and didn't feel comfortable asking) certainly looked big enough to hold something large inside it. According to Darkwing, it was the off season (whatever that meant) therefore nobody but occasional maintenance personnel would be there, making it the perfect place for a crook to conceal and concoct cruel and crazy schemes.

A few Nightmares slowed their progress as they ran across the lot to the stadium but thankfully they were mostly Toximanders, Pricklemanes and Meow Wows, nothing big or terribly strong. The first door they came to was locked. Nothing of course a quick tap of a Keyblade couldn't open. However it was just a small door for maintenance personnel. Launchpad had to go through the maintenance door sideways. White could slink through easily but serpents had that gift.

"How are Fantasia and Jewel going to get in?" Rachel asked. Jewel might have been able to squeeze through with help but the UniGlow was too tall and wide for the door.

"You can open up a bigger door once we're inside to let them in." Darkwing said in a hurry. "This is a time sensitive matter! We may be too late already!"

But just as they were about to continue down a hallway, both Fantasia and Jewel vanished in a bright flash of light then reappeared inside the hallway.

"How'd they do that!" Launchpad exclaimed.

But no one had an answer. All Rachel and Bryan knew about the powers of Dream Eaters were what Master Yen told them and what they were learning. That was basically what they were running on this entire journey: Master Yen Sid's limited knowledge and what they were learning as they went. At least they didn't need to take a detour to let them in. And it was pretty cool to know that if the key bearers ever got separated from their Spirits they needn't worry for long before being reunited. Other Nightmares stalked the hallways but were silenced before they could raise any alarms. The group took the stairs to one of the upper levels of the place before they emerged. The best vantage points usually were from above. They kept low and got a good look over what was going on below.

Football was apparently a game that required a lot of space to be played. Neither Rachel or Bryan could believe just how big the field had to be for a bunch of grown men to get a ball from one end to the other. Town squares back in Hollow Bastion were smaller than that. But Darkwing had been right. The mystery machine was enormous and spread over a good three quarters of the field. Quackerjack had to have been acquiring the last needed pieces to put it together. Bryan recognized the aluminum from the gutters and mailboxes he'd stolen from the hardware store had been flattened and used as siding. Generators plundered by Megavolt were hooked up with all sorts of cabling to power all factions of the device. All in all it kinda looked like the shiny edition of a child's toy box. There were dome pieces, rectangles, cylinders and squares, all lit up with bright buttons like colored fireflies, levers, handles and switches.

"What exactly is that supposed to be?" Bryan asked as he crouched low. "It looks like something from the future."

"I wouldn't put it passed the most fiendish minds in all of Saint Canard to have come up with such a sinister scheme."

"I wasn't being serious…"

"Shhh!" Rachel shushed them.

Something was in motion down below. Dream Eaters started to appear. Shortly after, so did the villains. In their own signature way, Bushroot, Megavolt, Quackerjack and a new dog character made entirely of water entered the scene. They gathered in front of the machine and all faced the same large entrance across the stadium, waiting for something. After a few moments of (in Darkwing's case, impatiently) waiting, a new figure entered through the big gate. It was another duck dressed in yellow and wearing a mask.

"Aha!" Darkwing announced in a whisper. "Just as I suspected all along!"

"Sure y'did." Bryan mumbled. "So who is that?"

"The worse of the worst. The master of the criminal mind! The most villainous villain ever to commit crimes of the most sinister and diabolical nature! The horrendous, terrible, and awful Negaduck!"

Rachel squinted in his direction. "He looks kinda like you."

"That's the most perplexing part. No one knows where that devious and dastardly doppelganger came from. But as committed as I am to crime fighting, he is to villainy. We have to get down there immediately and put a stop to this crime before it begins!"

"Wait," Rachel said. "What's he doing now?"

Negaduck approached the machine and a screen lit up on its side. A rooster in a well-pressed white suit appeared on the screen. They discussed the progress of the plan. Everything would be ready within the hour. When the plan was fully executed, Steelbeak, who had been extorting resources from the organization he worked for, F.O.W.L would be taken over and Steelbeak would be the new crime boss. Negaduck and his evil vision would be the head of it all, getting all the necessary resources he and his fellow felons couldn't acquire just by stealing from Steelbeak. But for all their talking, there was no revealing exactly what the plan was. It was then Darkwing put his foot down and declared they would leave now. No more waiting. He announced they needed to make a grand entrance and there was no better place to make a grand entrance in a football stadium than through the tunnel. Again, neither Rachel or Bryan had any idea what was so special about a 'tunnel' but followed him anyway.


	17. St Canard: The Fearsome Five

"I am the terror that flaps in the night! I am the dryer that devours your socks! I am Darkwiiiiing Duck!" It was then did over-ego-ed hero notice everyone had stuck so close to him. "Guys! This is the final showdown scene and my trademark grand entrances are a solo act!"

"You can call your agent on us later. Let's squash these guys and go." Bryan said._ And if you hadn't announced yourself in the first place we could have sabotaged the thing and they may never have known we were here at all. _He added in his head. It was amazing how much ego a servant of justice could have as well as great powers of deduction and still not think through the obvious.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't my favorite look-alike come to join the party. And you've even brought your own sideshow act." Negaduck didn't seem at all surprised when Darkwing showed up. Maybe he was even expecting it. The other criminals were not at all happy to see the irritating do-gooder but kept their cool upon seeing how their leader was handling the situation.

"You'll never get away with this, Negaduck! Justice will always prevail no matter how many of you and your clan of crooked crooks there are!" He brandished his gas gun. "Suck gas, evil-doers!"

"Oh, I don't think so." Negaduck sneered and laughed. He pressed a huge red button. In the blink of an eye a metal cage sprung up from the ground around them. Then another, bigger one from above. Then a third folded up around the second from the ground again. "Heh, heh, heh," Negaduck chuckled. "I figured all along if you were to try and crash the party it would be at an iconic spot like the tunnel."

"D-doubba-ya! We're trapped!"

"No bars can hold Darkwing Duck!" But as hard as he tried to shake them loose the cage bars didn't budge.

Negaduck strutted around the triple prison with an annoying air of smugness. "Uncomfortable? Wonderful. You all have the most incredible timing. Tonight my machine will be complete and the most perfectly horrible plan of my entire criminal career shall be realized."

"Gosh," Launchpad gulped. "I'm afraid to ask what that is."

"Since you're not going anywhere I'd be happy to tell you the details. Then you can watch as my plan unfolds knowing what's going to happen and knowing there's nothing you can do to stop it!" Negaduck cackled and rubbed his hands together with evil delight. "I have found a way to bring all the monsters in this city under my control! My lackey's will be my second in commands as well as my ever-so-helpful associate from F.O.W.L. Once I have the driveling city of Saint Canard under my thumb I will be one step closer to taking over the world with my monster army!" He laughed maniacally and clicked his heels with delight over his own evil geniusness.

"That's impossible." Rachel said. "There's no way you could make every single Nightmare obey you."

"Heh heh heh, that's where you're wrong, little lady. Once I hook myself up to my machine," He gestured to the piece at the center of the device. It looked like the cross between a throne and an electric chair. "It will then resonate special frequencies unique to myself through the diamonds Bushroot, ah-hem, acquired. And with those special devices in the river surrounding Saint Canard the sound waves will travel even further and faster! Every monster in the city will be hypnotically tuned to me!"

His evil laugh of triumph echoed through the open spaces of the stadium. The other villains were also laughing at the greatness of the plan and how sure they were of its success and their secured place in the new Negaworld. Negaduck went to the throne-chair and barked orders to the others to finish the final double-checks before firing up the machine. Light pulsed from two rods on either side of the throne and went down the cables.

"How are we going t' get out, D-doubba-ya?" Launchpad asked, sounding very hopeless. "Ye' wouldn't happen to have a blowtorch or somethin' in your gadgets would ya?"

"No, but I'm beginning to see the merit in having one handy. Don't suppose your snake can bite through bars? Or maybe zap us to freedom?"

"Oh sure, use electricity to get us out of a metal cage." Bryan rolled his eyes.

Rachel made a few _'tsk tsk'_ noises. "You're forgetting one important detail. When will people learn how foolish it is to try and contain a key bearer in any place that has a lock?" To prove her point she summoned Renewal , reached the end through the bars and tapped the locks on all the gates. They all clicked and gently swung open. "Ladies first." And she walked through.

"Wait," Bryan stopped her. He looked over to the others. Confident their captives couldn't get away none of the villains paid much attention to them. "What's the plan? Even if we sneak behind the machine, one of them is bound to notice the cage is empty."

"We need to dismantle that device." Darkwing declared. The machine was giving off a steady hum, all parts of it were lit up brightly. If they could see from above, the river surrounding the city was lit up as the devices at the bottom were activated. They couldn't hear the sound Negaduck mentioned. It was above the frequency of normal hearing.

"But how we gonna do that, D-doubba-ya? Negaduck's smart. He wouldn't have made his device easy to break, especially if he fig'red we were comin'."

"Launchpad's right. We can't start bashing and hope we'll find a weak spot. If we do that the rest of them will be on us with their Nightmares in a blink." Bryan said.

Darkwing was scanning the machine carefully as they talked, assessing the best place to start and muttering. But until they actually started hacking away, there was no place that was an obvious weak spot, assuming Launchpad was right and Negaduck would have taken precautions. Rachel would exit first and use her Time spell. With the foes frozen in time the rest would get out of the cage to the machine. It might not be much but any head start was a good one. And it worked, but too bad not for long. Between the clanking of Keyblades and the sledgehammer that Darkwing pulled from seemingly nowhere and the Nightmares on watch the villains were alerted to their escape. Then things got crazy.

Negaduck shrieked for them to attack and keep them away from the machine. Bushroot let loose a troop of mutant daisies that spun their heads and petals like sawblades as they charged. On top of that, Woe Flowers replaced their less thorny Whee Flower cousins. Quackerjack had of course his wind-up teeth toys and the ever-eager for mischief Jestabockys. Megavolt's hands sparked and crackeled with electricity and four Thunderaffes were at his side in an instant. Liquidator was joined by a group of Fin Fatales. Fantastic. Just fantastic.

For a while the fight transpired much like one would imagine it would. Bash. Strike. Duck (no pun intended). Dodge. Evade, etc. Launchpad didn't know much about fighting but he would chuck miscellaneous spare machine parts when he could to contribute. Usually that just annoyed a Nightmare and made it chase him for a minute. Then again, so long as it didn't catch him it was at least not being a problem for the key bearers. Even the Spirits had their own styles of fighting as unique as their personalities. In a fight, Fantasia was no-nonsense. She'd stomp and trample and charge at a full gallop, horn ablaze with magic. Jewel could shoot ice beams from her mouth and make powerful charges with her armored fins. But as powerful has her attacks were her demeanor would have made an onlooker assume she was playing a game. White treated battle like a duty, and kept close to Bryan like a shield. He got the feel for Bryan's Sawblade attack right away. Until the weapon came back to him, Bryan was essentially defenseless for those sometimes crucial seconds.

Darkwing contributed by doing his own karate-crazy…something that resembled fighting to combat the main villains. Half the time he would kick them incredible distances. The other half he'd trip over his own feet or something or his opponent would knock him clean on his can. Good thing his heart was in the right place because his way of (literally) fighting crime was just sad. Yes, Rachel and Bryan had their share of licks but never had never did taking a strike that looked that pathetic.

Liquidator was made of water so slashing at him with any weapon didn't do any good. Even a Keyblade went right through him. Bryan engaged him first, trying to figure out how best to fight. It looked like it would have to be magic. He tried Ice but Liquidator moved so fluidly and dodged. No reason that shouldn't work so long as he could actually land a hit. But Liquidator wasn't going to let him. There was a rumbling from all around as water mains broke and he summoned all the water to him. Before he knew what hit him, Bryan was hit with a wall of water then trapped inside a giant water bubble. He slashed and flailed about but he couldn't move out of it. Could he run out of breath in that thing? Maybe it was just the realism that made him panic. Jewel saw his peril first and swooped in to the rescue. Being a whale, water was her business. She charged through the bubble, kinda jack-knifing Bryan over her head as she pushed him out. White didn't like that at all. His round eyes sparked dangerously and his gaze locked on Liquidator. The Spirit tensed like a coiled spring, rattle shaking and sparking. White took the assault on his master personally and wouldn't rest until the one responsible paid dearly.

All the while Negaduck yelled and barked orders and insults from his place in the machine. The sound was intensifying enough to enter the range of human hearing. It was faint but slowly becoming a high-pitched whine. Unbeknownst to the fighters, Nightmares were appearing in droves all over the city and began making their way to the stadium. The little and weak ones first but it was only a matter of time before the stronger Dream Eaters succumbed to the sound and obeyed. Fantasia chased down Megavolt. The thunder of his summoned Nightmares or the electricity he controlled did little to slow her down. Lighting was a magic she possessed after all and therefore her defenses were strong. Jewel was making Quackerjack furious with her playful chittering and twisting about just out of reach like she was having more fun than him. Bushroot mostly hid behind his plants. The vines Bushroot could make grow tried to stop the key bearers from damaging the machine by wrapping around them like pythons. Nothing a strong fire blast couldn't take care of though.

Whatever the machine was made of was incredibly durable. No doubt specialty made metal supplied by that Steelbeak guy. Out of growing frustration Bryan threw his Keyblade at the device with all his strength. What could that stuff possibly be that not even a Keyblade make a dent? But his frustrated thoughts were thought too soon. Instead of a sharp twang! ringing out after hitting the machine it was more of a hollow cl-wunk! He'd hit the spot that had been patched together with the aluminum gutters and mailboxes. Whatever that special metal was, they must have run out and had to improvise! A single blow didn't look to do any damage to the inside but it was a place they could focus their strength on. Finally a break.

Yeah right.

Negaduck wasn't about to let a weakness get exploited by a couple of kids while his world domination was going so smoothly. With a bright light he summoned a Nightmare to defend the machine the way he probably should have all along. It was then Rachel and Bryan first encountered the Tyranto Rex. Those teeth invited a hasty advance in the opposite direction.

Suddenly the lights of the device flickered and many of them went off. In the distance several of the diamond-filled devices that were creating the signal went dark. The nearest and strongest Nightmares shook their heads like coming out of a heavy daze.

"_WHAT_!?" Negaduck shouted. "What's going on! What did you do-gooders do!"

Rachel and Bryan jumped and dodge rolled away from the rampaging Rex. They hadn't done anything. Had Bryan's blow in fact caused some kind of damage? Couldn't have. It was just (though impressive) a dent. The siblings looked around for what could have happened. What they saw caught them by surprise.

"_Launchpad_?!" They cried together.

Indeed the trusty sidekick had been the one to find the answer. He was just about ready to chuck a wrench at a Dream Eater when he got a pretty ingenious idea. Launchpad had worked around, constructed and repaired planes all his life so he knew his way around machinery and tools. While ducking and hiding from Nightmares he made a discovery. The cables that were stretched across the city to the devices in the river were protected by a heavy rubber tubing that was screwed on by a heavy ring to the machine itself. One by one he unbolted the protective covers. Only then did he yank the plugs out. Of course now that an even more dangerous weak spot had been discovered the villains converged to protect it (except for Liquidator who was recovering in a puddle after getting super-fried by White many times). All of Quackerjack's toys had been frozen, leaving a strange sort of sculpture garden. Bushroot tried to fortify the cabling by wrapping them with vines. The Woe Flowers bounced around the cables, threatening to let loose a barrage of thorns to anyone who got near.

The Tyranto Rex was actually more of a hinder than it was a help. Rachel ran for her life when it chased her like it was hunting down its last meal. She flew around like a disoriented sparrow, trying to shake it. It tried to keep up with her but in doing so its steps became irregular. Before it could regain its proper footing, it half-tripped and yanked out another set of cables. Negaduck was actually glad when The Spirits converged on it and took it out. Just goes to show that the biggest guns aren't always the best. One by one the criminals and their Nightmares were becoming less of a threat. Liquidator was still down for the count. Darkwing had a doohickey in his weird pistol that shot out a rubber rope that had ensnared Megavolt. He was too focused on trying to wriggle free he didn't even try to call more Thunderaffes or White Snakes to help him. Jewel had trapped Quackerjack in a bubble of ice. He stomped his feet and screamed how everything was so unfair. It only made him mad when she flew around the bubble chirping happily, clapping her fins together and bumping her melon playfully against the ice. No one was supposed to have more fun than him. Especially at his expense. Fantasia and Darkwing had run off Bushroot. At the end of the day he was all stem and no spine. He used his plants to shake off his assailants then called more to burrow him out.

"Gyyrruuuagh!" Negaduck screamed. "You dimwitted weaklings will regret failing me!" He was not such the fool to stay in the machine when the signal was weakening by the minute, dissipating the hordes of Nightmares that would have been under his sole command within minutes if not interrupted. "You do-gooder dweebs have ruined my perfect scheme! I'll cook up another crime that will top anything you could ever hope to imagine! You may have foiled my plans this time but there is nothing you can do to put an end to the conniving mind of Negadu-uhg-gah-hagh!"

Darkwing had taken advantage of his nemesis's 'you cannot defeat me' speech to climb up the back of the machine and nail him with his gas gun. Negaduck was furious and the two grappled atop the machine. The key bearers finished off the straggling Nightmares. The two ducks made an assortment of tough-guy 'hy-yaa!' cries, tackled one another and made their own versions of Roundhouse kicks. Eventually Darkwing got the upper hand and threw Negaduck off the side of the machine. The nefarious duck toppled right into the bent aluminum Bryan had weakened with his hit earlier, bending it further and falling into the hole it created. Before he could reappear with another cliché bad guy one-liner, something started clicking and making popping noises from the inside. Suddenly they got louder. Lights started flashing like crazy and the whole machine started sparking. That didn't look or sound at all like anything they'd want to be around.

"She's gonna blow!" Darkwing cried.

Not needing to be told twice everyone regrouped and high-tailed it off the field. Going around the cage they bolted back into the tunnel, hoping the concrete hallway would provide shelter. Less than a minute later a thunderous BOOM! shattered the silence of the night.

* * *

><p>The next morning the city of Saint Canard began to show signs of everyday life. The worst Nightmares were gone. The (slightly scorched) villains were arrested by the proper authorities. Negaduck was nowhere to be found but Darkwing was certain that when someone is that evil they always find a way to come back. Back at the secret hideout Gosalyn wanted to know absolutely every detail of the epic showdown between Negaduck, his goons and the Nightmares. Darkwing told the story. Rachel and Bryan gave up trying to correct his embellishments (which there were <em>a lot<em>).

Suddenly Rachel and Bryan felt a tug of some kind. Something had happened. They looked out the window to see what was going on. The others didn't seem to notice anything. Light sparked in the sky. The clouds parted and with a magical glow the Keyhole appeared high above them. Darkwing was still too busy weaving the epic of his triumph over the most notorious criminals to notice anything else. Perhaps they couldn't see the Keyhole. This was a dream after all, the rules were different. The siblings aimed their Keyblade out the window. The ends lit up and twin beams of light, converged and met at the Keyhole. It sparkled with light then faded back into the sky.

"Guess that means it's time t'go." Bryan said to his sister.

"You're leavin' already?" Launchpad was the first to hear him say.

"No way!" Gosalyn said. "You guys gotta stick around so I can be a part of the action next time!"

"Sorry," Rachel said. "There are places we need to be."

"But you will come back, won't you?" Gosalyn asked, clinging to her leg.

"I'm sure we'll see each other again." Rachel promised. At least in a manner of speaking.

Darkwing made his own superhero farewell speech and said he had something to give them before they left. Like an actor giving his acceptance speech Darkwing how grateful he was for their help, and in commemoration of their assistance, he bestowed upon them identical gold pins so to identify them to the world as the official sidekicks of the spectacular, colossal, heroic and humble Darkwing Duck. The pins were about the length of their thumbs and featured the profile of a duck in a wide hat and partial cape. If the siblings hadn't already known what the image was supposed to be they might not have been able to guess. Darkwing, Gosalyn and Launchpad all went back to Drake's house through the trick chairs, leaving the key bearers alone with their Spirits in the hideout.

"So how's it feel to be an official sidekick of the worlds' most amazing hero?" Rachel put the pin in her pouch.

Bryan just started laughing. This had been the strangest world so far and Darkwing Duck was certainly a character he'd never forget. While thinking about all the bizarre and crazy things they'd done and seen, Bryan missed something important. It wasn't until Rachel had said something did he notice his pin had grown a chain. He called No Shortcuts and clipped on the key chain that would be known as Night Terror. The handle was a perfect square. The shaft was in four segmented pieces that shaped a stretched out, backwards "S". The first three segments had oblong holes in them. Inside the holes were gold rings that made rough tinkling noises when the blade was swung. The whole thing was themed in purple, yellow and dark turquoise.

Before Bryan could say anything or give the blade a few test swings, another light appeared directly out the window in mid-air.

"Looks like our ride is here." Rachel said.

Bryan nodded. They stood close together and jumped into the light, beginning the dive to the next world.


	18. Not-So-Happy Valley

"What the heck is wrong with this place!"

Was the first thing Rachel declared when they opened their eyes in the next world. The dive had been smooth like the ones before it but this new destination left a lot to be desired. Before them lay a barren wasteland. A wide valley stretched for miles and miles and every inch liked like the embodiment of misery. The mountains in the distance looked dull and unhappy. Acres of fields were dry as dust. Everything was dry and drab. The ground crunched and crackled beneath their shoes. Trees withered along the roadside. Only the thickest branches remained, the rest had crumbled away. Dozens of wooden and brick houses were in the most pitiful states of disrepair. There was not a soul to be found anywhere. Rachel , Bryan and their Spirits split up to look for any sign of life but found none. No people. No livestock. No wild animals. Nothing. A great big barren load of nothing.

"This can't be right." Bryan said. "Of all places to get dropped out of a dive it has to be in a ghost town."

"'_Welcome to Happy Valley'_."

"I know right." Bryan answered, thinking she was being sarcastic.

"No really, that's where we are."

"What?"

"The welcome sign, that's what it says." Rachel pointed to a tall wooden sign to her left. The paint was almost completely sun-bleached and wind worn but the finely penned words were still visible.

"Happy? _Happy_? Did we end up in Backwardsville? Unless you're a desert snake or horned toad there is nothing about this place that is in any way _happy_."

There wasn't so much as a blade of dried grass to be found anywhere. The skeletal remains of trees in what once were orchards created strange and eerie scenes. A wooden bridge had dried up and collapsed in a ditch that they could guess at one point was a river. Fields looked like deserts. The sun scorched them from above. Even the cheer of a shade cloud was gone. Bryan didn't have a problem with it because White stuck close to him with his hood fanned wide, forming a shade umbrella.

"My boots go over my knees and I'm pretty sure I've got sand in my shoes." Rachel said. There wasn't even a breeze to cool the land or stir the sand.

"I'm hot but I'm not sweating. Think it's because of this is a dream?"

"Probably. What I want to know is what happened here. No people or even wild animals. What made this place so dead?"

"What about that?"

Rachel looked at him, not sure what he meant. Bryan pointed across the valley to a palace on a hill. Not sure what else to try they went to the palace to check it out. There was a tall gate and many towers with gold cone-shaped toppers. Of course the gold looked dusty. The white walls were graying and dismal. The gate was open and the courtyards were empty. Again they split up to explore the once-grand palace. But everything was empty. The palace was spooky in its vacantness. The rooms and hallways were grand. A broom would have done miracles. Many rooms looked as if occupants had just left. No struggles, no signs of panic, just…nothing. They hadn't even seen Nightmares so it wasn't like people had been run off. Could a Nightmare have done all this? Nature's End back in Neverland swallowed and made use of pixie dust, maybe a Nightmare could drain the life out of the land?

"Bryan!" Rachel's voice echoed strangely from one of the upper levels through the empty hallways. "I think I found something."

Bryan stood on White's back as he slithered up the stairs. She didn't sound alerted or frightened so he was going to get worked up either. Still, he hadn't found anything so what else could he do. In an upstairs room showed the only evidence that anything foul was afoot. A small balcony overlooking the balcony had its marble pillars snapped in half. Glass from the tall window had been smashed to pieces on the floor. They were dusty and untouched but still provided a disturbing clue. The glass had all fallen on the inside of the room, implying something had broken in forcefully from the outside. But what the heck could have gotten up that high and broken into a supposedly locked window? The metal frame of the windows latchings were also mangled.

"This is weird." Bryan said. "The glass is broken all the way up to the top. Whatever broke it must have either been really big or had a lot of strength. Or both."

"We're idiots."

"Why?"

Rachel stood on the balcony and gestured for him to come closer. When he was at her side she took his chin in her hand and directed his gaze.

"How could we have missed that?"

"Why do you think I said we're idiots?"

Across the valley, huge and towering high into the clouds was a thick green pillar. Even from a distance they could tell the thing had to have a base the size of a house and was the only thing with color in the entire valley. Which of course warranted investigation. The one thing in this entire wasteland that looked the most out of place had to be a source of answers or at least clues. When they reached it, the duo discovered something else. It wasn't a pillar at all but a plant of some kind but not a tree. Looking up yielded no clues as to exactly what it was or where it could have come from, only where it was going. High above clouds shielded the top of the plant from sight, if in fact it even had a top. Grumbling a bit that they couldn't fly, the siblings found their footing and started climbing.

The higher up they went the more leaves they started to see. A single leaf could have easily held four people laying side by side and their stems were as thick around as Bryan's thigh. White slinked up the stalk close to Bryan, keeping a part of his hood across his masters back in the event he should slip and fall. Jewel did the same, floating a few feet down and away from Rachel as she ascended. Fantasia was quite the climber, even when going almost completely vertical. Her cloven, goat-like hooves aided her as she went up. When she got stuck, she simply vanished into light then reappeared on a leaf or wide ledge of the plant to regain her footing and start all over again.

"I wonder if this is actually two or three things grown together." Rachel panted.

"What makes you say that?" Bryan heaved himself onto another ledge.

"The higher we go the more corded this thing seems to become, like several plants wove and twisted around each other. Just makes me wonder what this thing could b-eg-yaa!"

Rachel had made the mistake of looking down to examine the plant at all angles only to see how far up they'd gone. She koala-led herself to the nearest structure and didn't move, staring down with wide eyes.

"Hey!" Bryan scolded, trying to get her attention while not looking down himself. "Look at me!" He snapped his fingers a few times but her wide-eyed gaze was still fixed downward. He was curious just how high they must have been but managed to resist the temptation. "You know that was a dumb thing to do. You're never supposed to look down when…what are you holding?"

"On for dear life." Her gaze was still glued to the ground.

"I mean the thing you're holding onto."

Rachel slowly peeled her stare away from the distance below to the thing she had clung onto. It was about the same dimensions as she was, both in width and length. It was hanging from a stem about as thick as her wrist that drooped some under her weight. She was actually dangling on it. It was very smooth.

"What is it?" Bryan asked, getting closer.

Rachel looked it up and down, then, oddly, sniffed it first. Her eyebrows furrowed with puzzlement then sniffed it again. "Is that…I think." She sniffed a third time. "I think it's a bean pod."

Jewel gave her a push back onto a ledge of the stalk. Once she was back on her feet, Rachel instructed the Spirit to snap the stem with her teeth. She sat on the ledge with the huge pod in her lap.

Bryan looked at the pod then up at the tower of green. "This thing's a beanstalk?"

Rachel tried to pull the seam apart on the pod but it was too big. Then she called Renewal and gave it a tap. Like a zipper the pod seam fell apart. Apparently Keyblades weren't just about unlocking chests and doors but simply opening things. Inside were beans about the size of a soccer ball. She tossed one to her brother who took a bite. He nodded approvingly as he chewed. Rachel took a tentative bite as well and made a similar gesture, and she didn't even like beans.

"Interesting, when you think about it." Bryan said after the snack and they continued climbing. "Eating that felt really real. But this is just a dream. We didn't actually eat anything. Wonder if we'll-."

"Gyahh!" Rachel suddenly exclaimed.

"What! What?"

Rachel sat straddled on the stem of a leaf, her head lagging back. "We are such idiots."

"You said that already."

She looked at him like she expected him to come up with the obvious answer on his own.

"We're _climbing_ this thing."

He looked at her like '_duh'_. "Our flying powers don't work on this thing. It doesn't count as a surface for that to happen. And the rules are different in a dream."

"But White and Jewel can fly."

It took Bryan a second to catch her meaning then he too felt like a grade-A idiotstick. He turned to White on his left. The Spirit snake just looked at him and flicked out his tongue once. Rachel waved Jewel over and hopped on her back, Bryan did the same to White. The White Snake let loose its coiled grip on the beanstalk and opened its hood like a glider. He then flapped his hood like wings and gained altitude. They flew in wide spirals around the beanstalk. Even with a much smoother ride it took a considerable amount of time before they broke the clouds. As they neared the top they began noticing something strange. There were planks of wood and chunks of brick imprisoned in the vines. When they broke through the clouds they could see what remained of the roof and stairs of a house. This thing sure messed up somebody's home sweet home.

Jewel and White flew them to solid ground a short distance away. It was like water meeting the beach, only it was where sky met the edge of the land. And holy space cheese, Batman! Everything was HUGE! Comparatively they had to be only about four or five inches tall. But at least they could see where to try next. In the distance towered an enormous stone castle. It was incredible. They couldn't have even reached the tops of the grasses if Rachel had stood on Bryan's shoulders. They were as tall as the dandelions and mushrooms they passed. But in this place with butterflies as big as hang gliders and pansy petals the size of pillowcases, the Nightmares dwelled.

The snail-y Escarglows showed up first. Then the four-legged, beetle-like Staggerceps appeared near clusters of thick grass, snapping their wide mandibles. Where the Staggerceps showed up the Kab Kannon usually appeared not long after or not far away. Two big, heavily armored bugs…yay. Fighting big bugs along the way was by no means a picnic but didn't take as long as they thought it might. Before long they reached the moat surrounding the front of the castle. When you're only a few inches high a moat of any size looks like an ocean. But by Bryan's testament in the Ice Fields, water was in fact a surface they could fly over. But before they could a flash of dark light appeared in front of them and a large Nightmare blocked their way.

The Sinnapede reared its flat head and glared at them with intense yellow eyes. Its antenne wiggled menacingly in their direction. Its mandibles snapped from its face as well as huge pincers at its back end. Each segment of its body was armored with two sets of legs on every one. It was dark maroon with a black underbelly. It was even longer than White.

The siblings called their Keyblade, ready to combat the many-legged menace. But before they could begin a proper charge and go in guns blazing, White slithered in first. Why it stepped up (figuratively of course) to face the sinister centipede alone was a mystery. Still, if White felt the need to take on this Nightmare solo, who were they to argue? Perhaps he could sense something about this Dream Eater.

The two squared off, like ancient titans going to war. Then they both lunged at one another, hissing and screeching. The Nightmare clacked its scythe-like mandibles and White snapped his jaws, exposing his long fangs. The Sinnapede snapped back, barely missing White's face. White clubbed it over the head with his rattle. But the armored centipede already had its back end raised and pinched hard on the ridge of White's hood. The Spirit snake whipped its head back and forth until the pincers came loose. White's hood sparked with lightning. The Sinnapede exhaled a noxious purple and green fume from its mouth in response. Again and again they lunged, entwining their long bodies and crashing the other into the ground to get free. The Sinnapede seemed to have the advantage many times because it could grip with its many talon-like legs but each time it clung on White always managed to slip out of its grasp. But all that wriggling and writhing to escape the grasp of the Nightmare was visibly wearing White out. The pincers of the Sinnapede couldn't puncture White's thick scales but the fumes it exhaled could poison the Spirit if pinned down and White was too exhausted to wriggle free.

The two squared off yet again. The Sinnapede reared up tall, mandibles and pincers agape, twitching and ready to snap given any excuse. White coiled up low and tightly like a loaded spring. His rattle clattered menacingly and sparkled with lightning, hood folded up like how an angry horse lays back its ears. The Nightmare made the first move, lunging down at White with its scythe-like mandibles opened wide. It took several seconds for White to move. Bryan didn't understand why his Dream Eater didn't retaliate immediately. He was about to jump in and help his companion when White exploded from his coiled position. The Sinnapede was arched over the snake Spirit when the Dream Eater made its move. Jaws agape, White lunged at the insect with great force, fangs locking around its throat (or at least where you might expect a 'throat' to be on an elongated bug). The Sinnapede was also heavily armored so the long fangs didn't puncture deeply or cause significant damage. However, White wasn't letting go. The nightmare centipede seemed to recognize its predicament. Even if it were to exhale its poison, White was underneath it, safe from inhaling the fumes. The rest of its body could twist around and grip onto the snake, but that wouldn't make it let go. The Sinnapede thrashed around the grassy forest, trying to dislodge its opponent and making angry screeching sounds when it failed. The second he was able, White coiled up the best he could again, still latched on to the Nightmare as it tried to scratch and push him away. His tail rattled hard, charging a powerful Thunder attack. Then, electric light sparking over his entire body, White delivered a direct shock of Lightning through his fangs.

The Sinnapede could only thrash, tense and convulse as the current coursed through its long body. But it couldn't endure such abuse forever and in less than a minute vanished in a spark of dark light. Bryan wasn't even sure how to react. That was the greatest display of brutality he'd yet seen on behalf of his Spirit. Yet, at the same time it was friggin' awesome! The White Snake composed itself before drawing up its full height and rejoined the others. Bryan got a nasty shock when he rushed in for a victory hug (part of his face and fingertips would be numb for several minutes afterward) as White was still very electrically charged. Jewel clapped her fins together in congratulations. Fantasia stomped her foot and tossed her head in a I-could-have-done-the-same-I-was-right-behind-you-the-whole-time sort of way. Once the celebratory mood passed, they moved on.

Beyond the moat was a very long series of steps. Instead of trying to climb up every single one of them, the pair hoisted each other onto the railing and flew along that. At the very top was a huge green door. Flying on either Jewel or White they could have easily opened the door if it was locked, only then there'd be no way to push it open. Instead they went around until they found a window and had their Spirits lift them up to the sill. The window was already open so they glided down from the sill into the castle. In a flash of light Fantasia went from outside to inside. Such a neat and handy trick. One might argue that it is rude to enter another person's home without invitation, but this was still also just a dream and they were too small to be noticed unless they brought attention to themselves.

The interior was made of gray stone. Huge doorless archways connected rooms and hallways. Good thing they could fly otherwise getting through the castle would have taken a long time. Tapestries and paintings hung on the walls. Well-worn rugs were scattered throughout the hallways. Empty torch holders were placed here and there as well. Jewel and White lifted their masters to the mantle over an enormous fireplace to get a better view of the rooms before them. They weren't even as tall as the candle holders. The tick of the mantle clock sounded like someone knocking on a piece of stone.

And across in the adjoining room was the castles occupant.


	19. Happy Valley

Asleep at the kitchen table in the next room was a giant! A real, genuine giant! How they had not heard his soft snorts and snores in his sleep beforehand was largely a mystery. But there was also another sound, lovely music. It seemed to be coming from the same direction.

"Think he's friendly?" Rachel found herself whispering.

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable finding out. That being said, I kinda want to get closer."

Rachel couldn't explain it either but she did to. It was like playing Sneakery when you're a little kid. Jumping together they glided as far as they could across the stone living room. When they descended too far, Jewel and White pushed them back up so they were level with the thick wooden table. Now that was a giant-sized spread. Peas had to be picked up with both hands. The swiss cheese had holes in it so big they could have stuck their heads through it. The salt and pepper shakers were taller than Bryan. They took a niblet here and there as they snuck closer. It was like sneaking to the Christmas tree late at night to see what had your name on it, all the while terrified your stirring might wake your parents. You didn't want to get caught but you just _had_ to find out. Thankfully there were no Nightmares, fighting certainly would have woken the giant. Perhaps he didn't like them either so they stayed away.

Something gold caught their eye. In front of the sleeping giant was a lovely golden harp. It had the figurehead of a maiden and appeared to be playing by itself. Bryan bumped a spoon with his foot. The scraping of metal on wood sounded positively thunderous. They froze, eyes on the giant. But he must have been a heavy sleeper or the noise wasn't as loud as they thought it was for he didn't stir.

"Oh!" Exclaimed a dainty voice. The harp was alive! She waved them over, gesturing to keep quiet. "Who are you? How did you find this place? Never mind, you have to help me!"

"What's wrong?" Bryan asked quietly.

She quickly and quietly told them that she was the magic harp that kept the lovely kingdom of Happy Valley lush and beautiful with her magic voice. But she was taken away by the giant and made to sing for him like she were some kind of common music box. She couldn't bear to think about what was happening to her beautiful home without her. Some peasants had come by not long before they had and tried to rescue her but they had been captured to. Now they were all prisoners and had no way to escape. The harp begged their assistance.

Without hesitation they agreed. The harp pointed to a shelf above the giant. They could see the top of a green and gold chest. That was where Willy had trapped her would-be rescuers. The key to the chest was in his pocket, they'd have to be very careful to get it. They assured her they could handle it then got on their Spirits and silently flew up to the box. Bryan went first, slinking sideways with his back against the chest. He knocked on the frame close to the keyhole. Three characters stuck their heads through the hole. One was a duck, the other looked like a dog and the third was a mouse.

"Who are you?" The mouse asked.

"Bryan, she's Rachel."

"Boy oh boy!" The duck exclaimed.

"Donald! Shh! I'm Mickey and he's Goofy."

"Gawrsh, have you come to rescue us?"

"We're gonna get you and the harp out of here." Bryan said. "We just need to get this-."

He was cut off by the sound of Nightmares appearing. A huge swarm of Komory Bats appeared overhead and dove at them. The commotion was reason for serious freak outs by all parties. Once the bats had been defeated, Rachel and Bryan froze in place, barely daring to breathe. Even their Dream Eaters had gone still. They knew that noise couldn't have gone unnoticed. The giant grunted and stirred in his sleep. More of a panic-induced reaction than anything Rachel quickly glided back to the table, miming for the harp to start playing. When she did, Rachel sang a slow and soothing song. The harp wasn't familiar with the song but hummed along well and provided a bit of melody.

"_Though I'm far away across the sea, this moon is haunting me_

_As I spread my wings and soar above, it's you, you're guiding me_

_And the morning sun still shines on me. I feel your power too_

_No turning back from what must be, split through the dark and blue_

_The fire and ice beneath my skin burns straight from me to you."_

It worked; the giant slumped back into his chair completely relaxed in deep in slumber. The harp continued to hum and play softly. Rachel gestured for Bryan to go ahead. While he released the others, she started to inch the harp to the edge of the table for a quick get-away.

With the coast clear Bryan went back to the chest, breathing easier. He still had Night Terror in his hand and tapped the lock with it. But when he pushed up on the lid of the box it didn't budge. He tapped the lock again but the lid still wouldn't open. Totally not cool! The rules couldn't just change mid-game! Yes, this was still a dream world but come on! That level of unfairness was flat-out uncalled for. Bryan was about to give the lock a frustrated hit when he noticed something. The end of his Keyblade was about the same size as the chests keyhole. Why not give it a try? He slid the end of Night Terror into the hole, grabbed each side of the handle and turned the whole thing. There was a 'click' and the lid popped open. Odd turn of events but everything ended up the way he wanted so who was he to question?

Sensing there were no more Nightmares on the ledge, Jewel and Fantasia vanished into light and reappeared by Rachel. Mickey, Donald and Goofy were leery of the White Snake but Bryan assured them it was safe and there wasn't a lot of time to argue anyway. They filed onto White's back like a roller coaster car and flew gently to the table. The trio tipped their hats to Rachel since silence was critical at this point in the operation. Rachel and Bryan had their Keyblades in hand just in case. And good thing to. Across the table they could see several Nightmares had appeared. Jewel stayed with Mickey and the others while the key bearers flew with all their might to the other end of the table to clear the Dream Eaters before they made a big fuss. The siblings took care of the problem quickly by combining their Wind magic and blowing all the Peepsta Hoos into the next room.

Suddenly a sharp yipping sound froze the blood in their veins. Mickey had the idea to tie the giant's shoelaces together just in case. But when he stopped to do so, a Meow Wow appeared and started yipping at him angrily. And just like one might expect, no one can sleep through such a high-pitched squeally bark like that. Willy stirred then almost immediately looked for the source of the disturbance. Every man for himself! Mickey ran as fast as his little feet could take him. Willy was just about to lunge after his escaped prisoner when by happenstance he noticed the harp was missing from the table. Oddly though, he left Mickey be and thundered after Rachel and Bryan!

The siblings jumped on the backs of Fantasia and White, who could fly and run faster than they could. They rounded every corner they could find in hopes of shaking the giant off their tail. For all the good it did them, it was Willy's house after all.

"Why is he after us!" Rachel exclaimed, hanging on tight to Fantasia's mane as she went around a tight corner.

Bryan looked behind them to see what kind of distance they'd gained. He didn't have an answer until they passed in front of a window and a flicker of light blinded him for a second. "It's your Keyblade!"

No kidding. The shaft and teeth of Renewal were made of gold. All it would have taken was for Willy to have caught a glimpse of its shimmer and assume it was the harp. They rounded another corner and were nearly blinded by bright light. They'd found their way into the treasure room. Sunlight poured in and reflected off every polished silver and gold surface and every facet of every diamond. Quickly they split up to find a place to hide. And not a moment too soon. Willy crashed into the room, his eyes ablaze, looking for the intruders. Fortunately for them he proceeded with caution. If they had his prize, he couldn't risk damaging the harp by accident by plowing through all his gold.

White slithered into a golden pot that had fallen sideways. Bryan crouched low. White covered him with his hood. Fantasia backed up behind a chest. Willy stomped through the room, looking over everything. His heavy footsteps shook mountains of coins loose and they slid from their towers. The chest was lodged loose. Fantasia began to lose her footing and started slipping. A large silver serving platter fell across a jeweled goblet, forming a triangle. Rachel urged Fantasia to hide under that while the gold was still shifting to mask their footprints. Bryan's stomach clenched uncomfortably when Willy began looking in and shaking out pots and vases just in case. Rachel urgently waved him over while Willy was looking the other way. Bryan got on Whites' back, waiting for Rachel's signal to bolt. He would have to trust her judgment and move the second she gave the all clear.

But suddenly a furious roar shook the treasure room. The key bearers peaked over from their hiding places. Willy was looking out the window. Oh great. He must have seen the shine of the real harp reflecting in the sun outside as Mickey and the others made their getaway. Willy crashed through the entire wall around the window! Now they almost wanted the giant to take notice of them so to give the others more time to get down the beanstalk. Going as fast as they could Fantasia and White moved at unnatural speed to get ahead of Willy to slow him down.

When they finally were about level with the charging giant, Bryan shot off his Sawblade attack in a blaze of Fire. As one might expect, between their current size and distance the Keyblade had to travel, the blow was by no means expected to do much damage. But it did get Willy's attention and that was all it needed to do.

"Stop!"

Rachel tried her time spell next. Again, not even she expected it to work the way it was supposed to. But it did make him move in slow motion for a few seconds. But against an opponent that size the effectiveness of the spell was limited. After a few successive castings they began to notice nothing was happening anymore. Still, Mickey and the others had a much greater head start and they had gotten a lead on Willy too. A few Nightmares appeared in the grass but there was no time to do anything about them. In fact, their presence was actually a help because Willy didn't like them either and bought them some time by taking the time to stomp at them until they vanished. They got to the beanstalk first and did a combination of jumping and gliding downward. Rachel began shooting blasts of fire at the stalk above them as they descended. Bryan did the same, as did Fantasia. Once they got going, Rachel and Fantasia focused on the fire attacks, Bryan sent up gusts of Wind to fan the flames. They meant, of course to set it on fire, blocking Willy's way down after them. But what happened was even better. The beanstalk was a living plant. The moisture of living matter didn't allow it to catch fire quickly, when it did, it smoldered instead of burned. This created billowing black smoke more than it did flames. But that was ok. Black smoke was hard to see through, burned hot and wasn't fun to breathe. Their attacks were vicious and did not let up as they went down the stalk. Looking at the sight from a distance must have been really something. A giant beanstalk like a torch of black fire. From above them they could hear Willy roar with frustration. He couldn't climb down the hot beanstalk or see so he couldn't follow. Who were they to care if he wasn't happy just so long as he wasn't after them?

About three quarters of the way down they said phooey with climbing and jumped, free-falling for quite a distance before catching themselves with Glide and landing gently. Mickey, Donald and Goofy had long since gotten on the ground and were cutting down the beanstalk with a giant saw. Looking up all they saw were huge clouds of black spreading farther across the sky as the better half of the beanstalk smoldered. Rachel and Bryan slashed at the beanstalk, aiding in its fall. The falling stalk made the strangest sound as the fibers pulled and snapped. The ground trembled as the giant beanstalk hit the ground. A veil of black smoke rose to the sky as it burned. Good thing everything was already dead and dryer than dust and there weren't many flames from the burning stalk anyway.

Everyone was nervously looking to the sky, looking for any sign Willy was attempting to follow. As far as they could tell, he couldn't. Several tensed moments passed before any of them breathed easy. The next thing they needed to do was get the harp back to the castle immediately. Donald and Goofy carried her as they ran to the castle. Jewel swam around Rachel, clapping her armored fins, looking for praise for a job well done. She patted the Spirit on the head as they ran. Why they were running the siblings didn't understand. They were confident Willy wouldn't be able to get down for a quite a while at least. The black smoke had blanketed part of the sky and by the look of it wasn't going anywhere. Then again, they hadn't been the ones who watched a lush haven turn into a barren wasteland. To go from a land of plenty to be a few days away from starving. Not to mention the harp had been the one who went through the trauma of being unwillingly ripped away from her home and forced to sing for her kidnappers entertainment like a common music box, all the while dreading what was becoming of her happy valley.

The troop stopped at the castle balcony properly exhausted. The harp expressed her gratitude and started singing. Immediately a gentle, refreshing breeze swept through the valley. Within a few minutes the babbling brook resumed its babbling. Well it tried to for a while. The land was so dry and greedy for water it soaked up every drop like a mega sponge. Clouds formed and a drizzle began to refresh the poor land below. The clouds were thin and the rain was light so the sun pouring down from above cast rainbows all over. Grasses and sprouts began shooting up all over the place. The brook flowed with full force. The air tasted fresher. Trees had life breathed back into them and began growing again.

Raindrops sparkled like diamonds as the sun shone through them. The curtain of rainbows looked so magical as they veiled the sky. A glimmer in the sky caught the attention of the key bearers. Very faintly, the outline of a Keyhole could be seen through one of the rainbows. The siblings held their Keyblade aloft and aimed it at the sky. The others didn't seem to notice anything as the beams of light crossed the sky to seal the Keyhole. Perhaps they thought it was a gesture of celebration.

"Well, that has to be the fastest job we've ever pulled." Bryan said.

"So it's a 'job' now? I wouldn't exactly call the time spent searching the valley, climbing the beanstalk, crossing the giants backyard and sneaking around the castle fast."

"Enjoy the break. Few Nightmares and we bring back happily ever after or whatever back in record time. Now we can get going again now that this world's safe."

"Feels a little weird leaving so soon. We didn't even get to know Mickey, Donald and Goofy very well."

"Not like it would do us any good if we ever got to meet the real them." Bryan reminded.

Still didn't stop it from feeling strange to come and go so quickly. To complete a task so smoothly that they had no time to meet anyone properly. For a while the group just stood and listened to the harps song. The rain had stopped. Everything had a thin layer of green that was getting thicker and more lush by the minute. At this rate it would only be a matter of days before farmland would be in tip top shape for growing. Trees would again bear fruit and everything would be as it was. The giant couldn't come down. The harp was back and Happy Valley was once again, valley happy.

"Boy oh boy!" Donald exclaimed when the song ended and he got a good look at the scene below. The beanstalk still smoldered, black smoke still billowed. Even after the rain, it may take days before the whole thing stopped burning.

"Ev'rything sure is purdy again, ain't it?" Goofy said.

"And it's all thanks to you two!

"Mickey said, turning to the siblings. "We'd've never gotten out of there if you hadn't come along! The harp is safe and the valley is green again because of what you did to help!"

"It's what we do." Rachel said.

"But now we really should get going." Bryan said.

"Gawrsh, you're not goin' so soon are you?"

"I'm afraid we have to." Bryan said. "Besides, don't you guys have the job of telling the people that left the valley that it's safe to come back?"

They agreed that was a good idea and said their good-byes. The harp thanked them graciously for coming to her rescue and asked when they would return. They honestly answered they didn't know but they most certainly would try. To Rachel, even lying to a dream character didn't feel right. She invested a piece of herself into every person she ever became friends with, she always had. This was just a dream. It would cease being real the moment they woke up, when the world woke up. This event may never have even happened to these people. Part of her regretted this part of the quest. Parts of her heart were falling in love with these places and people. But when the dreaming ended, she would never see them again, at least not in the same sense.

Another light appeared in the sky. The pathway to another world had opened. It was time to go. Mickey, Donald, Goofy and the harp looked at the swirling light in awed wonder. Rachel and Bryan waved one final good-bye before stepping onto the balcony ledge and jumped off, heading to the next adventure.

Something wasn't right.


	20. Troubled Kingdom

"Not cool!"

Bryan sat straight up with the speed of a snapped mousetrap. That was the weirdest dive yet. At first it felt normal. But a few seconds in, it was like rounding a tight corner at high speed. Everything felt strange and dizzy. There was no rhyme, reason or control. Then, almost as soon as it began it was over. But they didn't just land out of the dive. It felt like they'd been spat out. The ejection process had propelled them into a large snowbank. He saw Rachel jump up from the snow to brush it off of herself then teetered.

"I don't think that was supposed to happen. Whoa." She said very quickly. Her arms were held out like she were expecting to fall. "Shouldn't have stood up so quick. Legs like pudding."

In a sparkle of light their Dream Eater Spirits reappeared at their sides. Jewel and Fantasia stood on either side of their mistress for balance, immediately picking up that she wasn't feeling the greatest. White too gave Bryan a nudge, making sure he was ok. Bryan gave him a reassuring pat then stood up, much slower and more carefully than his sister.

"Wouldn't expect you to have any idea what that was." Bryan commented. Of course she wouldn't. Even Master Yen Sid told them right off the bat that this was a new spell and an idea no one had tried before. For all they knew every third dive was going to be like that and it would be completely normal.

They had landed outside the stone boundary wall of what looked like a town. Well they assumed it was a town, they couldn't see inside yet. But there were sounds of bustle and movement. Even from the outside they could see the top towers and flag masts of what had to be a castle in the distance. It was the dead of winter and everything was dull and gray. Snow covered most of the ground, which was a mix of earth and cobblestone.

Bryan was just about to think aloud if they should find a gate or just fly over it when he got an uncomfortable shiver down his spine. Simultaneously White perked up and shook his rattle sharply. The snakes head snapped around to look behind them. Bryan did the same. But there was nothing. Just empty paths, snowbanks and dormant trees. It couldn't have been just an after-effect of the strange dive if White had felt something too. Something had been behind them a second ago.

Rachel and her Spirits were also looking in the direction of his gaze but didn't say anything. When asked about it, she hadn't felt the warning shiver but had sensed the atmosphere change. Whatever it was, it was gone. All they could hope for was that it was just a mysterious Nightmare, nothing they couldn't handle. White however remained tense. And not without reason. When the others turned to leave, the Spirit hesitated before following. Only to stop again after seeing something dark move out of the corner of its eye. But it only remained there for a second before it vanished again. White flicked out his tongue once and rattled his tail in a low warning. From then on he stuck very close to Bryan.

* * *

><p>The townsfolk were all animal people, just like in Saint Canard. All were dressed in dull colors and in basic peasants garb. Everyone looked positively miserable as they went about their daily life. Some hauled carts, others heavy baskets and some just marched through the streets, hunched over grumpily because of the cold. Some people gave them funny looks. Being humans in a land of anthromorphic citizens that was to be expected. And they weren't exactly dressed for winter but being a dream they didn't feel the seasons the same way the residents did. And of course it didn't help they were accompanied by a rattlesnakecobra hybrid, a floating whale and a unicorn. Those who took the time to look up from their misery gave them wide girth but never said anything. To Bryan it felt a bit like being a sideshow act people didn't feel comfortable commenting on. But he reminded himself that the world was dreaming. This never happened so there was no point in feeling awkward or embarrassed.

"I kinda want t' ask where we are but at the same time I don't." Rachel said.

Bryan felt the same. Everyone looked so miserable. Would they even be welcome if they reached out to anyone? Apart from the shuffling of carts or feet there were few sounds of village life. Only somebody calling from across the square,

"Snow cones!

"Then again," Bryan said. "It's not like knowing what this place is going to help us find the Keyhole or make it appear."

"Seems like the last two times it's appeared when it's ready, hasn't it?" Rachel said.

"Come 'nd get yer snow cones! We got all kinds! We got plain-"

"So there's something we need to do here first before it reveals itself then."

"-and twig!"

"Does that voice sound familiar to you?" Rachel asked.

It was then they noticed a tall character standing under a tiny rickety stall with 'snow cones' scribbled on the top.

"Goofy?!" Rachel and Bryan said together.

"Well hiya there! Care for a snowcone?" He listed the flavors for them.

"Goofy, it's us, Rachel and Bryan." Bryan said. "We just saw you."

Goofy looked between the two of them and got a really strange look of strained thinking. "Sorry, I don't think I've ever seen you before."

"You sure?" Rachel looked about as confused as Goofy but for a different reason.

"Purdy sure."

Bryan reached out a hand to his sisters' shoulder to turn her around. "A word. Just a second." He added to Goofy.

"This is weird." Rachel said.

"We just met him-."

"However briefly."

"-so how can he not remember us?"

"Could be just part of the dream. Maybe this is a different point in time for him. Or maybe this is just an imagining of the dreaming world. Or Happy Valley was. Either way it would explain why he doesn't know us."

"Might also explain why the dive felt so strange. We didn't go through, we went sideways. In some way this could _technically_ be a part of the same world, just at a different point in time or a different imagining. Just don't ask me how."

A bout of high pitched barking interrupted their discussion. A yellow dog with a stick-skinny tail came running up to Goofy, jumping around in the snow, happy to see him. And none other than Mickey Mouse was close behind.

"Hiya Goofy! How's business?" He was in even rattier peasants garb than they'd seen him in Happy Valley.

"Hi there, Mick! Hey guys, this is my pal Mickey. Mick, this is Rachel and Bryan, I was just offering these fellers here a snow cone-ee-ya-ya-ya-ha!"

Jewel ate the snow cone right out of his hand, cone and all.

"Jewel! That's not polite!"

Her plume drooped in shame.

"How about this for the snow cone?" Rachel took one of the dream figments from her pouch and offered it to Goofy.

"Gawrsh." He said in awe.

"Wow," Mickey also looked at the shard in wonder. Neither of them had ever seen anything that pretty. "Gosh, are you guys from the palace? I thought only the king had treasure like that."

"Um, no we're not." Bryan told him. "So if you guys are here, then where's D-."

Rachel elbowed him in the arm to shut him up. This scenario obviously ran differently than Happy Valley, maybe in this version of the dream there was no Donald or they didn't know him. Even if they did, no sense revealing they knew more than they should.

"It'd sure be great to live in a palace." Mickey continued, talking more to himself then anyone.

Then the friends did something neither Rachel or Bryan had seen anyone do before. They broke into an original song. There was no way they couldn't have not made that up on the spot but they did it so fluidly anyone would have thought they'd rehearsed it for days. They sang about great feastings, fine clothes and warm, comfortable places. Living the kooshy life as a king. (If only the friends and singers knew the irony of such a song and such a dream).

Suddenly (after the last long note of the song) the otherwise silent street was broken by the rattling of a large carriage down the main street. It was full of weasels dressed as soldiers with a very large fellow at the front driving. They all had heavy tankards of something in their hands and the weasels were singing and chanting at the top of their voices.

"Captain Pete, Captain Pete, Captain Pete! Captain Pete! Captain Pete! He never met a man he didn' cheat! Cheat, cheat, cheat cheat! He's the vilest-!"

Pluto started barking and ran after the carriage. There was a long string of sausage links dangling from a bulging sack tied to the back of the coach that he was after. Mickey tried to stop him but Pluto was too hungry to listen. The coach and singing guards went through the tall castle gates and the doors closed immediately behind them, along with Pluto inside. Mickey ran up to the gates panting. There was a small door within the big one which he knocked on once he caught his breath.

"Who goes there and what do you want!" Snapped a high nasally voice from beyond the door.

"Uh, ah gosh, I just wanna get my dog back. He ran in before I could catch-."

"Your Majesty?!" The guard gasped. "Oh, oh, oh d-d-d-do come inside." He stuttered.

"Oh! Gee, thanks!" Mickey went through the door and the guard closed it behind him.

"It sounded like that guy said 'your majesty', didn't it?" Rachel asked.

Bryan shrugged. "We'd best give this place a sweep for Nightmares. Mickey doesn't need our help to get his dog back. There's no way it could take that long."

How long it actually did take they never knew because they left right after to take care of Nightmares. And there were plenty. None were particularly strong but when they appeared, they did so in ridiculous numbers. It was no picnic trying to get down a street with four Meow Wows at a time trying to pummel them. It was Bryan's first time seeing a Tama Sheep. Despite their cuddly and innocent appearance, underestimating them in large numbers was a mistake. Sassy Necho Cats appeared in hordes at every dark alley they went by. Nearby locals that witnessed the fighting and clearing of the monsters that aided in their terror thanked them like heroes when a cluster had been defeated. Only then did they feel comfortable getting the low-down from the locals about this place.

This was once a prosperous and happy kingdom. The king was wise and just and beloved by all. But all that changed when he became ill and his condition worsened. The Captain of the guard and his goons began raiding the city, taking all food and valuables, claiming the king demanded them. Anyone who resisted would be tried for treason. People couldn't believe the king would steal from his people. Children were beginning to think royalty was cruel and took advantage of their subjects. Adults were heartbroken to see the terrible change in their once-fair kingdom. Not only that, the Nightmares harassed them as well. Sometimes they even seemed to act on orders from Captain Pete or his guards to help them take food or goods from people who tried to keep their well-earned property for themselves or keep their children from starving. The key bearers promised to look into the situation with the king. Until then, Nightmares they could certainly do something about.

Street after street they fought the Dream Eaters. It felt like hours. For all they knew, it might have been (at least in dream time). After a while as they walked, the key bearers rested easier confident the majority of the city was now Nightmare free.

Afterward they went looking for Mickey and Goofy. Goofy was only one street down from where they met him and Mickey. Turns out, Goofy had made a wide loop around the square looking for Mickey too.

"He's not back yet?" Rachel asked.

"Well he was a while ago. But he was actin' kinda funny then he took off."

"Which way did he go?" Bryan asked.

"I went that way but he gave me the slip. I looked fer him but couldn't find him."

"We'll help." Bryan added. He jerked his head to his sister as a gesture to follow.

The siblings went down the street keeping an eye out for Mickey. Their search brought them back around to the castle gates. And there was Pluto. He was sitting outside the gate like he were waiting. Bryan gave him a pat on the head.

"So where's Mickey?"

Pluto's ears drooped and he looked up at Bryan with a pitiful look and sorrowful whine. Then he looked back up to the castle beyond the stone wall.

"Is he still in there?" Rachel asked him.

Pluto nodded sadly.

"But Goofy said he saw him not long ago, how could he still be in the castle?"

The loyal dog snorted, indicating what she had said to be rubbish. Uh-huh. Goofy said he saw Mickey, but Pluto was sure Mickey hadn't come out yet…which didn't make any sense since Mickey was the one who had gone in to get him. Quite bewildered, they continued looking.

Thankfully the looking was made a touch easier due to the lack of Nightmares popping up to be pains in the royal butt every other alley. They asked a few of the townspeople they recognized as friendly if they knew Mickey and if they had seen them. A few kids said they saw him during their snowball fight. He stood right in the line of fire and got completely pummeled. Beyond that no one else they spoke to had any answers.

But as you tend to find what you're looking for so long as you don't stop looking, they eventually found him.

"Hey! Mickey!" Bryan called. He didn't even turn around. "Mickey!"

The second time he did turn. "Ah, yes. That's me, Mickey Mouse. So we know each other? Yes?"

"Not again." Rachel's head lagged back and her shoulders slumped.

But it didn't take long before each of them noticed something. He looked like the Mickey they'd met earlier and in Happy Valley, but his presence didn't feel right. Was it his heart they were feeling? It had to be. Still, if that was true, it would be a neat skill they didn't think they had yet.

"Call me crazy, but I don't think you're Mickey." Bryan said.

"Heh heh, what do you mean? Of course I'm Mickey."

"Sorry, but I don't think you are."

Fantasia circled around him a few times and went back to Rachel shaking her head. White slinked in nose to nose to Mickey and gave him a few good sniffs. The snake turned to Bryan also with a negatory shake of his head. Failed both the visual inspection and the sniff test. Seeing that he wasn't fooling anyone, he came clean.

He was actually Prince Edward, son of the ailing king. Mickey had entered the castle courtyard a few hours ago to retrieve his dog when he was bullied by Captain Pete. He ordered for Mickey to be brought to the palace, out of the way of the Captain's disrespect. When they met, they were both astounded at the uncanny resemblance between them. The prince wished to see the streets of the kingdom as a free man so they switched places for the day. The life as the prince was incredibly dull so he hoped for a little excitement as a commoner. That certainly explained why Pluto was still waiting for Mickey.

Mickey was still in the castle.


	21. TroubledKingdom:Helping the Poor

The prince assured them he had every intention to go back to the castle and switch back with Mickey before the day was over and all would go back to normal for everyone. The siblings looked at each other. So long as the prince was true to his word and didn't leave Mickey in his place for too long that someone noticed there didn't seem to be a problem. Besides, even though this was a dream world, it wouldn't be bad continue exercising the 'no meddling' rule.

The prince also wanted to know about them too. He didn't realize just what kind of citizens lived in his kingdom and was even more (strangely) delighted to learn they and their creature companions actually weren't from around there. He was happy to learn there was more to know than dull trigonometry lectures and fencing lessons.

Before they could be pressed for more, there was a commotion down the street. A cow woman was crying for help as two guards tried to seize her hen. Two children were running around and kicking the guards in the shins, demanding they leave her alone.

"Now relax lady, it's for the _king_." One guard sneered.

"Yeah, _the king_." The second guard added.

"But it's all we have!" The woman pleaded.

"Well then, it's all we'll take." The two guards thought that was an immensely amusing joke.

The prince bristled at witnessing such treatment of a helpless woman and her family. "Halt!" He demanded. "As your royal prince I command you to unhand that hen!"

The guards looked at each other and started laughing hysterically.

"What is so amusing?" The prince demanded.

"Oh forgive me," One of the guards said as he picked up a pumpkin from the back of a wagon. "I think ye fergotcher crown!"

Before Rachel or Bryan could react to help the weasel smashed the pumpkin over the princes' head and walked away in a state of hysterical giggles and chortles. And they still made off with the cart of food and the reluctant hen.

"When I return to the palace you'll pay for this!" Prince Edward promised, shaking the pumpkin pieces off of himself.

Rachel made a gesture like swinging a baseball bat forcefully in the direction of weasels. "You ok?" She asked.

"I'm fine!" He answered in a frustrated huff.

Grateful to have had someone stand up for them the two children helped the prince to his feet.

"I can't believe it," The prince said appalled. "Stealing in the kings' name!"

"This happens all the time." A little pig boy told him matter of factly.

"Yeah, the king takes all our food. We're hungry." Another mouse child said.

"Think we should have told him about this before now?" Bryan asked his sister. That's what the townsfolk had been telling them, only it wasn't until then did they think it was something the prince should know. Still, moments of stupidity hit everyone, no way around it.

The key bearers could see a steely coldness in the princes' eyes. He wasn't going to stand for such treatment in his kingdom. Then they heard a ruckus from across the street. A pig man was coming by in a horse drawn cart packed to the gills with all kinds of fresh food.

"Outta the way ye slumps! Make way fer da royal provisona'. Otta the way! C'mon move it!" He was shouting and cracking his whip (not so much to make the horse move as to keep people from getting close and pick things off the cart). There were also two evil looking unicorn Nightmares, but not a UniGlow walking close behind the cart on either side.

"Come with me!" The prince told the duo and he marched in the way of the rider and his cart. "Halt!"

The horse skidded to a stop.

"I am the prince! And I command you surrender your entire inventory!"

"And I'm de queen mudda! Be off wit' cha!" The pig man snapped back.

"Will this help?" Prince Edward held out his hand to show his golden ring with the royal crest, proving he had the authority to make such an order.

The coachman gasped, as did all present that had heard his claim. Every peasant in the street murmured with awe and bowed or curtsied. Rachel and Bryan and their Spirits took out the two Electricorns around the cart. Once the Nightmares were gone, the prince jumped on and started distributing food amongst the citizens. It didn't take long before a huge crowd had gathered. Rachel and Bryan stuck close to the cart for crowd control and to help pass out the food. Best keep order among a group of hungry people when there was a feast to be had. Bryan caught a glimpse of Goofy out of the corner of his eye and waved him over.

"Whatca got goin' on here?" Goofy asked Bryan as he got closer. It was then he heard a woman thank 'Mickey' by addressing him as 'Sire'. "Gawrsh, Mick's flipped his wig."

Bryan wasn't sure whether it was his place to tell Goofy Mickey wasn't Mickey so Goofy didn't go on thinking his best friend had developed a heroic complex or something. But before Bryan even had a chance to explain anything a commotion across the square got his attention. Citizens gasped as a dozen hissing Necho Cats spat and swiped at them, parting the way for the incoming group of guards.

"Alrigh'! Alrigh'! Out of the way! Clear out!" The lead guard called to the crowd.

"He's the one that showed me de ring, sir." The pig man told them. "And deys de ones that beat my royal escorts!"

"You there!" The lead guard yelled at the prince. "You're under arrest!"

The sentence had barely left his lips when the townsfolk started throwing food at the guards.

"Run for it boy!" A man from the crowd shouted.

All was chaos. The Necho Cats attacked anyone and anything in sight. The guards had their swords and spears at the ready. Food was flying all over. Rachel and Bryan tried to have Prince Edward's back while making sure the Necho Cats didn't hurt anyone else. The prince fought his way past several guards but in the end was cornered. Goofy was the first to see his peril and rushed to help.

"Hang on Mick! I'm comin'!"

On his way to the princes aid he got tripped up on a cart of barrels. He pinwheeled as he rolled on the barrels, plowed through the guards, crashed into the prince, got his nose stuck in the banner of a cart which acted like a rubber band and sent them rolling back the other way, plowing through the guards a second time before crashing into the food cart. The crash startled the horse and it took off down the street. Rachel jumped on Fantasia and Bryan got on White and followed the runaway cart. The guards lay in a dazed heap in the snow.

* * *

><p>Later that day, deep in the hidden catacombs beneath the castle, Captain Pete sat in the luxury of a stolen feast, surrounded by hoarded wealth pillaged from the poor villagers. He wasn't quite listening to his guards' story until he got to the really juicy part.<p>

"Now, I may be losin' my mind, Capt'n. And I know that you have said that time and time again. But all I know is, he's acted like a nobleman and he 'ad _the royal ring_!"

"The ring? So it _was_ the prince I booted out."

The weasel guard snorted into his drink. "_You threw out __**the prince**_! You're gonna get it, you're gonna get it, nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah nyah! Gulk!" He choked as Pete grabbed him by the throat.

"Not if he doesn't come back _alive_!"

His laugh echoed through the dungeon.


	22. Troubled Kingdom: Setting Things Right

After the fiasco with the food cart and the Dream Eaters, the group followed Goofy to the drafty loft where he and Mickey shared quarters. The fireplace didn't even have any wood. The fire was just a candle in the hearth. The pipe of the chimney was scraps of metal held together with spare fabric. The base was on overturned kettle. Scraps of clothes hung on pieces of twine strung throughout the loft. Hardly a stronghold, and barely a home but at least it was low-profile. Jewel and Fantasia were a bit big for the little house so they vanished until they were needed. White curled up in a corner and Bryan sat on his coils.

Suddenly the silence of the snowy night was broken when church bells tolled off the hour. That never happened unless something was going on. Prince Edward ran to open the window to the small balcony overlooking the river from Goofy's house. Curious to what was going on, Rachel followed.

"You there!" The prince called to the first soul he saw. "What's happened?"

A man standing in a boat on the river looked up at him and called back. "The king is dead and the prince is to be crowned at once!"

Rachel felt her stomach sink. Not just because of the terrible news, but she could sense the sudden sorrow in the princes' heart.

"Father…" He said weakly. The prince leaned against the rickety balcony railing.

Rachel wasn't sure what to do or what to say. You don't tell someone how everything is going to be okay moments after such devastating news. Telling people how you're sorry when something bad happens never made any sense to Rachel. They need consoling, not pity. She looked back to her brother, he'd heard what the river man had said. Goofy was too focused on dinner to hear anything over his own thoughtful humming. She didn't know what to say. Maybe saying nothing was the best approach. But something kept poking at the back of her mind.

A long time ago, back in Hollow Bastion, she remembered a man. A kind old man who told the most wonderful stories. He spoke of other worlds as he whittled by the lily pond. He told her once how a heartfelt song had the power to reach the sad people on other worlds to make them happy or ease their pain. The song didn't even have to be happy, so long as it was from the heart, hearing of sadness can help too, they would know they are not as alone as they feel. She hadn't thought about that old man for years but now his words seemed to speak more truth than a child could ever have understood.

Rachel stood against the doorframe and sang into the night.

"_Is there anyone, anyone to guide me? Is there anyone willing to stand beside me?_

_Is there anyone I can be a part of? Is there anyone who won't turn me away?_

_Who is waiting to say, 'I want you to stay here forever'?_

_Is there anyone who will let me love them?_

_Is my searching done? Please care! Anyone!_

_Be there! Is there anyone_?"

A few people living on the edge of the river had opened their windows with a candle to listen. The prince had a hand over his face. She could tell he'd been crying. A moment later he composed himself and dried his eyes. The prince looked at her without a word, smiled lightly and nodded, a gesture she returned. Sometimes the best comforting words are the ones that are not actually said. And sometimes gratitude was expressed its best without words as well. Together they went back into the loft.

"That was sure a purdy song." Goofy said when they came back. He lifted a bean tied to a string from a pot of hot water and sniffed it. "Soup's almost ready Mick, I mean, _your majesty._ Huh?"

It was then he saw the princes' sad posture by the fireplace.

"Now it's up to me to right the wrongs I've seen." Prince Edward spoke mostly to himself as he stared at the flame. "Children going hungry, corruption everywhere." Anyone could sense his new resolve as he put on the royal ring.

"Gawrsh, you-you really are the prince, ain't cha?" Goofy removed his hat and knelt beside the prince. "Sire, your wish is my command."

"Goofy, I owe you my life, all of you, and this will not be forgotten. Come friends, we must return to the palace at once."

"Or a visit to the dungeon! My _prince_!"

Captain Pete and many of his guards burst through the door, all armed to the teeth with swords and spears. Pricklemanes made up the front line, swaying and ready to start swinging their spiked tails like maces given the slightest excuse.

"Get 'im boys!" Captain Pete ordered.

The Pricklemanes surrounded the loft. The guards threw their spears into the air and they landed in a perfect circle around the prince. A Nightmare jumped at Rachel, she swung Renewal like one would a baseball and sent it back to the guards.

"On guard!" Goofy declared, brandishing a duster. But his enthusiasm wasn't enough to actually do anything to the guards who responded by hurling another barrage of spears his way. One caught him by the trousers and sent him flying out the window.

Captain Pete seized the prince by the back of his collar and strode away with him, laughing at the ease of the capture. The key bearers of course would have none of it. However, the Nightmares had made a formidable front line defense by huddling together, forming a very spiky wall. The guards walked half-backwards with their weapons held ready in case they tried to follow. Which they did as soon as the hedge of thorny Nightmares had been trimmed.

But another platoon of Meow Wows and an Electricorn were waiting outside for them when they exited the loft. Bryan swung his Keyblade and let loose a series of Sawblade attacks. The best way to fight a Meow Wow was long distance or from the air. The impact tremors of their bouncing couldn't hurt if you weren't close enough.

The two unicorns squared off, their horns ablaze with lightning. They tossed their heads and stomped their hooves hard against the frozen stone street. They charged each other with magic then reared up and started kicking one another hard in the chest.

By the time the fight was over, the Captain and the prince were long gone, safe behind locked castle gates. Fantasia tossed her head with an air of pride at being the victor against such a formidable enemy. The key bearers went back into the loft to regroup and retrieve Goofy.

Jewel came back up to the busted balcony, carrying a water-logged Goofy like a mother cat holding her kitten.

"Goofy, you ok?" Rachel asked, using Wind and Fire to dry him off and warm him up.

"I'll be alrigh' but Captain Pete got away with the prince! We gotta rescue him, quick!"

"We can get over the castle walls on Jewel and White but then what? We have no idea how that place is laid out. The only person who would just got kidnapped. We don't even know where the Captain could have taken him."

"Yes we do," Rachel said. "He said something about the dungeon, remember? It's a start if nothing else."

The friends rushed to the castle walls and sailed over them without a hitch. The rest of the night was spent figuring out where the dungeon was and what exactly the plan would be to find, rescue and switch the prince back with Mickey before Pete could enact any other evil plans or Mickey got crowned at the coronation the next day by mistake.


End file.
